I'll Always Be With You
by LovelyinLavender
Summary: Bella and Charlie move to Chicago and into a very old house, but there's something different about this place. What if Edward had died in 1918, and what if he never really left his former home? Will romance develop? M for future lemons, usual pairings
1. New Start

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters. They all belong to the amazingly talented Stephenie Meyer.

**I'll Always Be With You**

_**Chapter 1: New Start**_

"So Bells, what do you think?"

We had just arrived at our new home in Chicago. My dad, Charlie, and I moved from the small town of Forks, WA. I moved to Forks just six months ago to give my mom, Renee, and her new husband, Phil, some high quality time together without me getting in the way. It's kind of complicated, I guess, but I decided that it was time for a change—so why not go live with Charlie? And Forks was a very interesting place to live, if you like perpetually cloudy skies and buckets of rain. The only mild compensation was meeting my two best friends Jacob Black and Alice Cullen. After the initial hoopla that traditionally surrounds a new student's arrival wore off, I wasn't left with many friends. But they proved themselves to be very loyal and sweet people that I could trust. I was going to miss them. Just after the school year ended in June, Charlie heard about a job opening as the Chicago police chief. After traveling to Chicago for an interview, he was offered the job. It was, as they say, an offer he couldn't refuse.

And that brings us to the present. I'm going to be starting my senior year of high school in one month. Charlie wanted to leave me some time to get assimilated into the environment. Otherwise, he would have spent more time trying to wrap things up in Forks. But here we are.

"It's pretty cool, dad. I like the, um, chandelier in the living room."

Charlie just laughed. "Well, wait 'till you see your room. It's much bigger than your old one."

"Great," I said sarcastically. "Because you know I really need a lot of space for my things."

In truth, I didn't really have a ton of belongings. I was neither a packrat, nor a fashionista with lots of clothes. So a huge room wasn't a necessity for me. But my large room wasn't the only thing to get used to about the house. Walking through the front door was like walking into another world. Our new house was located in one of the oldest parts of town. It was built in the late 19th century. But its age certainly didn't make itself obvious. The house was perfectly preserved and with the exception of some cobwebs, it looked like it was just built yesterday. The living room and dining room were very spacious, complete with fireplaces and crystal chandeliers. In the corner of the living room was a covered up grand piano. I noticed that there was a thick coating of dust on top of the piano cover. So the piano must not have been touched in years. Interesting.

"Hey dad, I'm going to go and get my room settled."

"Okay Bells. It's up the stairs and at the end of the hall on the right. I'll order us a pizza while you unpack. You deserve a break from the cooking."

"Thanks, dad," I said as I headed upstairs.

As silly as it sounds, I wasn't exactly sure what to expect when I got to my room, except for the fact that it was going to be big. But when I thought about it, seeing as how the house was one big elaborate time warp, my room was probably no different. I was cringing as I put my hand on the doorknob. However, when I walked through the door, I was pleasantly surprised. It was a big room, but nothing too huge. The walls were a nice forest green color. The windows in my room were framed with long, off white lace curtains. Though I usually think lace is a little tacky, I liked it. It suited the house. Thankfully, there were no chandeliers in this room. As I started to unpack my things, my mind began to wander. I realized that this house wasn't really half bad. But at the same time, though I couldn't put my finger on the source, I felt the strangest sensation—and it was unnerving. I had the feeling that I wasn't alone.

**Hey everyone! So this is my first fanfic, and I'm so excited for it! I know this chapter's a little short, but they'll get longer, I promise! I decided to start writing fanfics about a month ago. As silly as it sounds, I got the inspiration for this fanfic from watching one of those "Ghost Hunters" shows or something. Though my story might sound a bit like that movie, "Casper" (with the whole dad and his daughter moving to a haunted house thing), I swear—I did not get my inspiration from that! I just really like the whole paranormal thing. That, combined with "Twilight" equals an awesome and very interesting plot. I've actually written the first five chapters and have started on the sixth. Once I get an idea, I just keep on going…what can I say? I'll probably release each chapter once a week…I'm thinking Thursdays. I may even put out a second chapter per week if I feel like I'm on a roll. That second day would probably be Sundays. Anyways, please read and review. Thanks for giving my story a chance! **


	2. Set Up

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters. They all belong to the amazingly talented Stephenie Meyer.

_**Chapter 2: Set Up**_

"_I had the feeling that I wasn't alone."_

I could hear Charlie downstairs unpacking, so this feeling could not have been brought on by him. And besides, he wasn't one to hover if he knew that I was busy with something. No, this was something else. What it was, however, I couldn't tell. _Just brush it off, _I thought to myself. _It's nothing._ As I continued unpacking, I heard the doorbell ring, and a few minutes later, Charlie called up to me.

"Hey Bells, c'mon down here."

I took another quick glance around the room then headed downstairs. As I was walking down the stairs, I noticed Charlie by the front door with a pizza box in his hands, chatting with the delivery guy. When I approached them, Charlie gave me a big grin and a wink. Oh god—this wasn't some lame attempt at trying to find me a man, was it? Because as much as he'd hate to admit it, I'm a big girl. I can find a guy on my own. Though admittedly, I haven't really had a boyfriend. No guy had ever expressed much of an interest in me that way. I felt a blush creep up into my cheeks as I made my way over to Charlie. But I was slightly comforted by the fact that the guy at the door seemed just as embarrassed as me.

"Bella, I want you to meet Jasper Hale. He and his sister, Rosalie, are your age, and live just a block down."

Jasper gave me a timid smile and raised his hand up. "Hey," he said.

"Hi, Jasper," I said shyly.

Charlie looked at the two of us and cleared his throat. "Well, how about I let you kids get acquainted. Bells, I'll, um, get dinner put together." And with that, he very awkwardly backed out of the room.

Jasper and I didn't exactly know what to say. So we just kind of stared at each other. Though he was pretty good looking—tall and blonde—I wasn't really drawn to him in a romantic way. But we couldn't just stand here staring like a couple of immature little kids, so I decided to break the silence.

"Um, Jasper—I'm sorry."

He looked at me with a surprised expression. "About what?"

"That my dad shanghai-d you and forced you into what is very obviously a set up."

He smiled. "Oh, that. Well, it's not really your fault."

"But still," I said, "You're in the middle of working and you get pulled into a house by some crazy guy. That's not exactly normal you know."

This time, he laughed—a very calming sound. "Well then, if it makes you feel better, I accept your apology. And besides, this was my last delivery of the night, so your dad didn't really interfere with my job."

"Ok." I let out a sigh of relief. "That's good. So my dad said you're going to be starting your senior year of high school, too?"

"Yeah, me and my twin sister, Rosalie. We're so excited! Are you?"

"Well, before I get excited about anything, I really need to get myself situated here," I said, gesturing to the area around me.

Jasper chuckled. "I suppose you do have a point there. But hey, I have tomorrow off. Why don't Rose and I come by in the afternoon? We could show you around the city a little."

"Alright, that'd be cool. And I'm sure it'd be more than ok with my dad, so no worries there," I added with a roll of my eyes.

We laughed together. "You're probably right about that," he said.

"Why don't you give me a call tomorrow before you come over? I'll be unpacking some more while my dad's at work, so I'll need to know when I should start getting ready."

"Sure, Bella. Living with a sister has given me much knowledge about a girl's need to match her shoes with her purse," he said with a wicked smile.

"Ugh—whatever, Jasper! It's not like that with me. I just meant having enough time to get all the dust and cobwebs off of my clothes."

"I know, Bella. I was just messing with you! Though for my sister, getting accessories to match is truly a big deal."

I laughed. "Well, I should probably be getting inside. It was nice to talk to you, Jasper."

"You too, Bella. I'll see you tomorrow. And don't worry—I'll call first," he teased with a wink.

"Ha, ha," I said sarcastically. "See you tomorrow."

I stood on the porch and waved to Jasper, then went inside. I thought to myself how nice it was to have found a friend so early in the game—and one that seemed pretty decent at that. I took that as a good omen. So maybe this move to Chicago would actually turn out to be a positive thing.

**Hola, everyone! I was super excited after the release of my first chapter. And I was getting such nice feedback from everyone, so I decided to release Chapter two early! But this is the only time I'm putting out three chapters a week. School is starting to gear up now. But no worries, I'll be putting out Chapter 3 on Thursday. Be prepared for an interesting occurence in that one! And like I said, if I feel like I'm at a good place with my writings, I'll put out another chapter on Sundays. But don't come to expect twice a week. I only know that Thursdays for sure are release days. As for this chapter, I don't really know why I decided that Jasper would be the delivery guy. I suppose because next to Edward and Alice, Jasper's probably my favorite! Anyways, please read and review. I appreciate it!**


	3. A Little Night Music

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters. They all belong to the amazingly talented Stephenie Meyer.

_**Chapter 3: A Little Night Music**_

After I had dinner with Charlie and told him about my plans for tomorrow (he was pleased of course), I excused myself to continue getting settled in my room. There were still several boxes that needed attending to. But by the time I got upstairs, I realized just how tired I was. After a day like this, I definitely needed some rest. I collapsed onto my bed and quickly fell asleep…

When I woke up, I rolled over and looked at the clock. It was 2:00 in the morning. _Damn_. I tried to get comfy again, but then I discovered what could have woken me up. The sounds of a piano floated gently into my room. Odd. I hadn't left my classical CD on. Hell, I hadn't even put it into my CD player. And Charlie wasn't the classical music type of guy. So what was it? It took me a minute for my brain to start functioning, but I realized where the music was coming from—downstairs.

_Downstairs?_

We didn't have a stereo or anything, so the only source of music was…the piano? I decided to go investigate.

The music was still playing as I crept slowly through the hallway to go downstairs. Funny enough, what was happening didn't really scare me. The fact that I like classical music might've had something to do with it. And I actually knew what the song was—Mozart's "Eine Kleine Nachtmusik"—a very pretty piece. I was very careful to walk quietly; I didn't want to interrupt the beautiful music. But of course, you can't teach an old dog new tricks, and my klutzy-ness made itself known. As I rounded the corner to creep downstairs, I rammed my knee right into the banister. I drew my breath in sharply, startled. But that shock turned to pain, and I had to bite my lip to keep from screaming. I knew my knee would definitely have a bruise tomorrow. As I was getting my bearings, I realized with a shock that the music had stopped.

_Oh God._

I didn't even breathe while I waited for it to start again. To my relief and delight, it did.

When I got to the bottom of the stairs, I collected myself (and congratulated myself mentally for not ruining everything and falling down the stairs) while I listened to the music. I wondered what exactly I would find when I looked around the corner at the piano, but I wasn't fearful—merely curious. I took a deep breath, peeked into the living room, and gasped in surprise at what I saw. The piano cover was carefully folded up, revealing the perfect black and white keys…which were moving by themselves! I gasped again, only this time, it was a bit louder than I thought it would be. _Oh shit, now I've done it!_ The music stopped abruptly, and with that absence of music came a feeling of uncertainty. I had disrupted this peaceful phenomenon, so now what was going to happen? I didn't want to find out. I ran back upstairs as fast as I could go; I didn't care if I made noise.

As I lay in bed, I tried to make sense of what I was feeling at that moment. I felt absolutely silly for running away. But I didn't run away because I was afraid of what I saw. I ran because I was afraid that I had made the spirit (or at least I think it was a spirit) mad by secretly listening. It had probably wanted some alone time, and I ruined that. Think about it—you're playing the piano in the quietness of your home and suddenly, you're interrupted by a noise. I'm sure you'd be a little annoyed, probably even startled by that sound. I hadn't wanted to barge in and scare the spirit—I wanted to give it space. I also ran because I was embarrassed and ashamed that I interrupted something so beautiful. It wasn't threatening in any way. It's not like the spirit was floating around the house wielding a knife. It was simply playing the piano—a very innocent task. I came to a conclusion: that I would not bother this spirit. I wouldn't go looking for it because I didn't want to inadvertently do anything to annoy it. If it wanted to be around me, it would make itself known.

I knew that I couldn't do anything about it now, so I closed my eyes and waited for sleep to come.

**Wasn't this chapter fun?! Imagine waking up in the middle of the night to beautiful music. And for the record, I LOVE "Eine Kleine Nachtmusik"! I think the exact translation is actually "A Little Night Music"…hence the title for the chapter. I have a link to the song information on my profile page if any of you are interested. I know it was written for a chamber ensemble, but who cares? I think it could be performed by a piano. And if anyone was talented enough to take a chamber ensemble piece and make it piano-friendly, it would probably be Edward! Anyways, there'll be some more interesting occurrences in the next chapter. I'll probably update again on Sunday…YAY! Please read and review. Thank you so much.**


	4. A Nice Surprise

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters. They all belong to the amazingly talented Stephenie Meyer.

_**Chapter 4: A Nice Surprise**_

When I woke up, I felt surprisingly well-rested, despite the events of earlier in the morning. I also had a very positive outlook on the day—the sun was shining, I got to have the whole house to myself without any awkward Charlie moments, and I'd see Jasper and Rosalie later. I stretched and took a deep breath. That's when I noticed a difference in my room. When I first walked in yesterday, it was very musty smelling, and in desperate need of a good dusting. Now, every surface in my room sparkled in the morning sunlight. And the room was filled with a sweet, intoxicating fragrance. Now, all that needed attending to were the three or four boxes left over from last night. Though Charlie was a great guy, I didn't think he'd be this considerate. There was only one other possibility.

I chuckled softly. "Thank you," I said aloud.

I listened for a moment, half hoping that I would hear some kind of response. When I did not, I remembered the promise that I made to myself earlier—I would let this spirit come to me. If it didn't want to communicate, I wouldn't make it. But this small surprise that I woke up to was surely a step in the right direction wasn't it?

After I took a shower and got dressed, I set out to start on my tasks. First up: my room. I figured that I had better take care of those boxes before I forgot and got distracted. I also decided that I'd put on my classical music CD so I'd enjoy myself at least a little bit while I unpacked. And it did help. I made quick work of those boxes. But I had to pause and listen to my absolute favorite song on the CD: "Clair de Lune". I think it meant so much to me because my mom used to play it a lot. It reminded me of her. It also reminded me that I needed to check in with her and see how everything was going.

In addition to my room, I had wanted to do a little cleaning of the house, starting on the first floor. Though it wasn't terribly untidy, I thought I'd do some dusting and vacuuming for good measure. It was a little odd, but I actually enjoyed cleaning. It was something I just didn't mind at all. I started with the dining room, dusting the table and getting the cobwebs out of the corners. After I vacuumed the rug, I moved on to the living room…the setting of the early morning piano recital.

When I walked into the room, I looked around. Nothing seemed different, except for the piano cover, which was back in place. I found it comical that the thick coating of dust was still on top of the cover. I laughed to myself and decided that this was one part of the room that would remain undusted. But for the next fifteen minutes, I vacuumed and cleaned everything else. After I finished, I stood quietly for a moment, admiring a job well-done. But then, I noticed a small change. The same intoxicating scent that had blanketed my bedroom when I woke up was now here. It was an indescribable scent, but I couldn't get enough of it. I breathed in deeply, enjoying and savoring it. This was the pattern that continued for the rest of my cleaning time. Every time I finished a room, the fragrance filled it. I wished I could figure out what exactly the scent was—though I had a pretty good idea as to what was causing it. As silly as it sounds, that scent was like a drug. I needed to smell it before moving on to the next room, and I always craved more.

By 2:00, I was actually done with the whole house. I credited the addition of that wonderful fragrance in helping me along. I stood in the foyer, taking in the scent that now enveloped the whole house. I was so engrossed in it that I almost didn't hear the phone ringing. I ran to pick it up.

"Hello," I answered breathlessly.

"Hey, Bella. How are you," asked Jasper.

"Oh, I'm pretty good. I actually just finished cleaning the house, so your timing was right on."

"Well, it's a gift I suppose." He laughed. "But really, I'm glad you're finished. Would 2:30 be all right for me and Rose to come by?"

"Yup, 2:30 would be great," I said. "I'm excited to hang out with you and see downtown Chicago. And I'm really looking forward to meeting Rosalie."

"Yeah, she's looking forward to meeting you, too! Anyways, we'll see you in a little bit, alright?"

"Ok, see you soon."

I hung up and went to my room to get ready. It was a cooler day for early August, so I decided to war my favorite dark blue, ¾ length sleeve blouse and short denim skirt with some flip flops. But as I was going through my closet, I realized that my blouse wasn't there. Weird, considering that I specifically remembered hanging it up in my closet this morning. I checked my dresser just in case—not there. I was really confused. What the hell had happened to it? I searched through my room twice, three times until I just gave up. It was 2:25—Jasper and Rosalie were going to be here in five minutes, and I needed something to wear. Since apparently, my blouse decided to make an impromptu disappearing act, I chose a fitted t-shirt and hoodie to go with the skirt and sandals. But just as I was getting ready to put on my shirt, I noticed something sitting on the corner of my bed that hadn't been there a few minutes ago—my blouse, neatly folded. Puzzled, I picked it up. I couldn't see why my blouse had been taken, but there was no time for analyzing the situation. I decided to put on the blouse and forget about it, but I soon realized what the point was in taking it. As I was buttoning the blouse, I discovered that something had changed. Apparently, the spirit wanted to leave a little something on my blouse to remind me of this morning—that heavenly scent.

**So the next chapter is going to focus just on Bella's time in downtown Chicago! And we're going to find out a bit more about Rosalie. I'm not really sure why I went off on a Rosalie tangent…I think because I just felt a good idea coming on. And I suppose I just felt that she really needed more face time than she got in the books. But I hope you all liked this chapter! I based the scent in the house off of how Edward's scent is described throughout the series. I wish that Stephenie could have been a bit more specific about what the scent was…but oh well. Please read and review. See you all Thursday when I update next! **


	5. Big City, Big News

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters. They all belong to the amazingly talented Stephenie Meyer.

_**Chapter 5: Big City, Big News**_

Ten minutes later, I was sitting in the backseat of Rosalie's red BMW M3 convertible. And what can I say? The car definitely suited her—it was very flashy, as was she. She looked like a model straight from the runway—not a hair out of place, clothes perfectly tailored. Considering I could never look like that even on my best days, I was very jealous. But all that aside, she was extremely nice. She actually reminded me a lot of my friend, Alice, back in Forks. Alice, like Rosalie, was very fashion conscious—always knowledgeable of the latest trends. Alice was also very endearing and trustworthy. I definitely got that vibe from Rosalie.

The three of us decided to first hit Navy Pier, which, according to Jasper and Rosalie, had everything you could want or need. It was a very popular spot to shop, hang out, and eat. After a couple hours of browsing, eating, and Dippin' Dots (Jasper ate three cups of them!), we decided to partake in a typical activity of those who visit the pier—riding the big Ferris wheel. Apparently, just one revolution of the wheel takes 5-10 minutes. It looked like so much fun, so we waited our turn, then boarded. Rosalie and I were literally bouncing up and down with excitement as the Ferris wheel carried us higher and higher. But Jasper didn't look so good. In fact, he looked downright green. He ended up putting his head between his legs for the rest of our time on the Ferris wheel, which was really a shame because the city was so beautiful from up here. By the time we reached the ground, Jasper looked even worse, and ended up ducking into the nearest bathroom. I felt so bad from him. When he came out about ten minutes later, he did look a little better, but not by much.

"Are you alright, Jasper," I asked.

"Ugh, no," he moaned. "I feel like shit!"

Rosalie actually looked like she was holding back laughter. "Well, that's what you get for scarfing down four hot dogs, two servings of chili-cheese fries, some chips, and three cups of Dippin' Dots. What the hell were you thinking?"

"Well, I was thinking that I was hungry and all that food looked so good. I couldn't help it!"

"Rose, go easy on him," I said. "He just spent ten minutes throwing up."

"Oh, Bella, he always does this when we go to a fair or something—just goes way overboard with the sweets and junk food. He's like a little kid in a candy store." She rolled her eyes at him. "The he ends up puking his guts out and whining about it. Then…" She was interrupted by a moan from Jasper. "Ugh, see? What did I tell you?"

"Rose, I'm not sure if I can handle another few hours of walking around the city. Can you just take me home? You and Bella should keep shopping, have some fun."

"Jasper, are you sure? We could always just hang out at your place and watch a movie," I suggested.

"No, no, Bella. I don't want you to miss out on seeing more of the city. I'll be fine. You guys go ahead."

"Oh, you bet your ass we will! Bella's not going to miss shopping on the Magnificent Mile for anything," said Rosalie.

"Are you going to patronize me or drop me off at home," asked Jasper.

"Alright, alright. Let's go."

After we dropped off Jasper (he promised that we'd hang out again real soon), Rosalie and I sped back downtown towards the Magnificent Mile—which was any fashionista's dream come true. This stretch of shops is one of the most expensive in the area. It contains such stores like Saks Fifth Avenue and Tiffany's. I wasn't as enthusiastic about shopping in high-end department stores—I wasn't big on shopping anyways—but Rosalie insisted that it was an absolutely essential experience.

We decided to stop in at Tiffany's first. It was obvious that Rosalie had been here before because she made a beeline right to the engagement rings and stopped in front of a glass case.

"What do you think of this one, Bella," Rosalie asked, pointing to a ring.

"Wow." It was the only word I could think of to describe it. The ring was white gold with a large square diamond. Framing the large diamond were two smaller diamonds on each side. And the spotlight shining on the display case made these diamonds sparkle brilliantly.

"I know," she said, staring at it in awe.

"Why do you ask?"

"Well," she began, looking a little embarrassed. "And you can't tell anyone this! Only my family and best friend are in on it."

"Of course, Rose. No worries."

"Ok, well, I've been in a relationship with this guy for a couple of years…"

"Ooh, what's his name," I asked.

"His name's Emmett McCarty." At the mere mention of his name, she got a dreamy look in her eyes. "He's twenty, and absolutely perfect. He's actually in training to become a police officer."

"No way! My dad is the new police chief here," I said, surprised.

"Yeah, I think Jasper mentioned that yesterday! Anyways, Emmett and I have been together for two years. And last month…" she trailed off.

"Yes…" I prompted.

"Last month, he asked me to marry him."

"Oh, Rose, congratulations! That's amazing!"

"Thanks, Bella. But when he proposed, he didn't have a ring. I was a little curious as to why, and that's when he brought me here."

"To Tiffany's?"

"Yeah. So we get here, and the whole place was empty. I asked what was going on. He took my hands in his, looked into my eyes, and said how much he loved me. He didn't want to get me a ring that I might not end up liking. Then he gestured around him and told me that I could have any ring in the store. The only thing is that he's pretty cash-strapped right now. And until he completes his training and becomes a real police officer, he can't really afford a ring. But he let me pick one out." She glanced down at the ring. "And then he got down on one knee—."

"And proposed again," I guessed.

"No, but he did make a promise to me. He promised that when he had enough money saved up and put aside, he would buy that ring for me. He said, and this was in his exact words, 'I promise you with all my heart, Rosalie Hale. And I'll never go back on that promise. You are my love. You are my life. You are my everything.'"

At this point, tears were running down my face. "Oh my god, Rose, that's so romantic. I'm so happy for you."

She was crying, too. "Thank you so much. I'm still having a hard time believing this is real."

"So what happens now," I asked. "With the ring, I mean."

"They're keeping it in the back for me."

"Oh. So then how can they have this one out here?"

She laughed. "Oh Bella, you're forgetting that jewelry stores can sell more than one of the same type of ring."

I blushed. "Right," I said stupidly. "How was Emmett able to negotiate all of this?"

"I'm not really sure, but I can probably guess. Let's just say that he can look pretty imposing to the unsuspecting person. Just one flex of his biceps can persuade just about anyone," she added with a chuckle.

I must've gotten a horrified look on my face because Rosalie looked instantly apologetic. "Oh Bella, I was kidding. He knows the son of the owner. So it was probably easy to work out. Though he might look like a tough guy, underneath that exterior, he's just a big teddy bear. I promise."

"Oh, whew," I said in relief. "He sounds like such a great guy. I hope I get to meet him sometime."

"Definitely! We should all hang out soon!"

"I'd like that, Rose." We resumed staring at the ring until I remembered something I'd wanted to ask her. "Um, Rose, you said that you've only told the news to your family and one best friend. I've known you for less than a day. Why did you tell me?"

Rosalie immediately looked pensive. "Hmm. I suppose it's because you seem different from all my other friends. Most of my friends, admittedly, can be pretty shallow and gossipy. And I know that I could never tell them without it getting out everywhere. People would start talking and speculating about why I'm getting married so young, and they wouldn't understand that I'm marrying Emmett simply because I love him. But, I just have a good feeling about you, Bella. You seem very down to earth, very genuine."

"That's very sweet, Rose. I appreciate that. And you do know that I won't tell anyone else. I'd never go back on my word," I said earnestly.

"You and Emmett both, I guess," she said with a smile. "And I suppose I also trust you because you're friends with Jasper. Anyone willing to be friends with that weirdo is ok in my book."

We laughed together. "But anyways, enough of my ramblings," she said. "Now, what do you say we go do some shopping? All the department stores have gotten their back-to-school lines in…you ready to take on the Chicago fashion world?"

I rolled my eyes. "Hardly."

Rosalie laughed. "C'mon," she said, tugging on my arm. "It'll be fun."

As we were leaving, I snuck one last look at Rosalie's engagement ring. I couldn't get over how unbelievably sweet her story was. She was so lucky. And I wished that when that one guy came along, I would be just as lucky.

**Yes, this chapter is much longer than the others have been! I've noticed that all of my chapters have been getting longer as I go on. I hope you all liked this one. Doesn't Emmett sound sweet? We'll get to meet him in a little while, have patience. And not to worry, Jasper hasn't gone away forever. He'll be back! But…there's some exciting stuff coming up. Someone very important will be making their first appearance in the next chapter…yay! And I'll totally update on Sunday, so you won't have to wait forever to read the next chapter. Please read and review!**


	6. Clair de Lune

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters. They all belong to the amazingly talented Stephenie Meyer.

_**Chapter 6: Clair de Lune**_

Rosalie dropped me off back home around 8:00. I could barely make it through the door thanks to all the shopping bags I had in my arms. After we left Tiffany's, we went from store to store, buying—in my opinion—unnecessary things. According to Rosalie, however, all of these new clothes, shoes, and accessories were very important items. But that sure wouldn't stop me from wearing my old clothes.

"Hey dad, I'm home," I called.

"Oh hey, Bells! Did you have a nice time?"

"It was great, except that Jasper got sick at Navy Pier," I said sadly, remembering. "Too many Dippin' Dots."

Charlie looked confused. "Dippin' Dots?"

I snorted. "Yeah. That, plus a shitload of hot dogs, chips, and fries equals puke."

He chuckled. "Oh man, poor kid."

"I know. He didn't feel well enough to continue, so Rose and I dropped him off at home and did some power shopping," I said, glancing hatefully at my pile of bags.

"What, you didn't like shopping," Charlie teased.

"Her idea, not mine."

"Ah. So when are you seeing Jasper again?"

I rolled my eyes. "I don't know, dad. He said he'd let me know when he was free."

Charlie must've misinterpreted my eye roll as annoyance towards Jasper. "Geez, it's not very nice that he left you hanging like that. Want me to talk to him?"

"Dad, no way! He'll call me when he can. And from now on, there will be no more interfering on your part. He and I are just friends, and that's it," I said.

"Alright, alright," he said, holding up his hands as if surrendering. "I was only trying to help."

I laughed. "I know, dad. Anyways, I'm pretty beat, so I think I'm just going to hit the sack."

"Ok, Bells. Have a good night."

I got up to my room (somewhat awkwardly, due to my shopping bags) and flipped on the light. I had to giggle—Charlie could be so clueless about guys sometimes. But I knew he was just trying to look out for me. As I began changing into my pajamas, I started thinking about what an eventful day it had been—Jasper getting sick, Rose's big news, the shopping (ugh) on the Magnificent Mile, cleaning the first floor, the intoxicating scent that had blanketed the house, the disappearance of my blouse…

_My blouse! _Curiously, I sniffed it, and smiled. The scent was still there. And as I got into bed and closed my eyes, I was still smiling.

I rolled over with a groan. It was 2 A.M. again, just like yesterday morning. _What the hell? _But then, I heard it—the piano. I listened carefully. It wasn't the same song as yesterday morning. It was…no way! Tears began to well up in my eyes as I listened to my favorite song—"Clair de Lune." I knew what I had said before, about not bothering this spirit—letting it come to me—but I didn't care at this point. I mean, it was "Clair de Lune" for God's sake! I got up quickly and darted through the door towards the stairs. This time, I made sure that I didn't hit the banister.

I crept downstairs as quickly and quietly as possible, took a deep breath, and looked around the corner. I expected to see the piano keys moving by themselves again, but what I did see was much more shocking. A young man around my age sat at the piano. As funny as it sounded, I was not shocked to see someone there. What had shocked me was how incredibly beautiful he was. Even though he was seated, he looked like he was quite tall. His hair was an unusual bronze color. Though I could tell he had tried to neaten it up, his hair still had a level of untidiness to it. But it worked for him. His face was perfectly angled with a strong jaw line. And he was wearing a light brown vest and trousers, complete with a white button down shirt. I noticed that the sleeves of his shirt were rolled up to his elbows. In fact, the only noticeable difference between him and a human was that his body was surrounded by a faint glow.

"Wow," I said quietly. Immediately, I mentally kicked myself for speaking aloud. So much for staying inconspicuous.

He abruptly stopped playing and turned sideways to look at me. His face was guarded.

I was instantly apologetic. "I'm so sorry if I frightened you. I'll just go now," I said, turning back towards the stairs.

"No, no. Don't go," he said, standing up. "I was worried that I frightened you."

_Oh God, even his voice was beautiful._ "You didn't frighten me, really," I said, relieved that he hadn't run away. "You're perfect," I blurted out. _Stupid Bella._

He chuckled and walked closer to me. "Well, now that we know we haven't frightened each other, I'd like to introduce myself to you."

I looked up at him in surprise and was immediately lost in his intense gaze. His eyes were a bright green, and seemed to smolder even in the darkness of the early morning.

"My name is Edward Masen. I'm very pleased to meet you, Bella," he said gracefully.

"Oh, I, um." I cleared my throat and started again. "How did you know my name?"

"Well," he paused, looking a little embarrassed. _How adorable._ "And don't be frightened when I tell you this, but I've kind of been watching you."

I felt a surge of heat go through my body. "I'm not scared, Edward. I'm actually kind of flattered."

"I'm glad to hear that," he said, melting my heart with a beautiful crooked smile. "The last thing I'd want to do is scare you."

"Is that why I haven't seen you yet?"

His smile grew bigger. "Good job, Bella. You passed with flying colors," he teased.

_He's witty too? Oh man._

"Wow, and here I was not wanting to bother or frighten you," I said in surprise.

"How could you ever frighten me, Bella? You're not the ghost, here, remember," he added with a chuckle.

"Well, when you were playing yesterday…I don't know…I just got the feeling that you wanted to be alone. And I thought that's why you wouldn't show yourself. I also figured you definitely wouldn't show yourself after the whole me interrupting you thing—I thought I startled you. And then I was embarrassed because I was such a klutz. I mean, first I hit my knee on the banister. Then I…"

"Bella, Bella—stop," he said, looking concerned. Then almost immediately, he started to laugh. "Have you ever considered a career in auctioneering? Because you'd be rich by now."

I began to turn away, blushing furiously, but he was instantly in front of me again. "Bella, I was joking. I'm so sorry if I hurt your feelings," he said sincerely. "It seems as though we misinterpreted each other's actions. You believed that you'd frightened me or made me mad, and that's why you thought I hadn't shown myself to you?"

"Yes."

"You also believed that I wanted to be alone, right?"

"Right."

"Well, that's kind of true. I like playing the piano by myself. It's a nice time to reflect," he explained. "But then, when you came downstairs and reacted the way you did, I thought that I had scared you. It's not everyday you see a piano playing itself," he added, smiling. "That's why I haven't appeared to you sooner. I felt bad for supposedly scaring you, so I decided to back off a little and make myself known in a less threatening way."

I smiled, remembering the scent in my room and on my blouse. "I hardly think playing the piano or giving off a scent qualifies as something threatening."

He laughed. "Well, I'm happy you feel that way."

I paused, unsure of how to proceed. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure, Bella."

"Why did you decide to appear to me now?"

He thought about it for a moment, and then spoke. "I think because you dealt so well with yesterday's happenings during the day," he said with a slight smirk. "And since I thought you'd been frightened by me earlier, I took your happier attitude as a good omen…which leads us to now."

While he'd been talking, I had been staring up at him, dazzled by his charm, his kindness, and of course, his earth shattering good looks. I felt like a preteen, completely infatuated with a first crush.

"Um, Bella?" The edge to his voice broke me out of my trance.

"Hmm? Oh, yeah. Sorry."

He chuckled. "You have nothing to be sorry about. You're tired. I should be the one to apologize. I did, after all, wake you up with my playing."

This statement made me remember a question I'd been meaning to ask. "Edward, about that—why 'Clair de Lune'"?

"It was one of the first pieces I ever learned," he answered matter-of-factly. "That, and…well, it's your favorite isn't it?"

_He was playing this for me? _My eyes flickered up to meet his. He was dazzling me again with his gaze.

"Yes," I said softly. "Yes it is."

"Mine, too," he replied, his green eyes smoldering.

"How did you…" I began. Then I remembered that I had played my classical CD yesterday. "Oh! You were…"

"Watching? Yes. What can I say? You fascinate me, Bella Swan," he said intensely.

_Wow._

We continued to gaze at each other in silence for another moment, then he cleared his throat. "Well, I'm keeping you from your sleep. I may not need rest, but you sure do."

"Oh, um, right."

He dazzled me with another crooked smile as we made our way to the foot of the stairs. "I should like to talk to you again, Bella. Will you be free tomorrow? Or should I say later today?"

I nodded helplessly. "I'll be free every day until school starts in a month."

"Until later then," he said.

"Yes," I whispered, my eyes never leaving his face as I backed up the stairs.

"Oh, and Bella—pleasant dreams." He smiled once more before turning and disappearing into thin air.

I slowly made my way back upstairs and collapsed into bed in a daze. My head was spinning. We had just met, and already, I was infatuated with him. I could not get Edward out of my head, nor did I want him out of my head. But he was a ghost! Who had feelings for a ghost?! The answer was clear and simple, and there was no way to deny it: I did.

**Yay! Edward's here, Edward's here!! I loved writing this chapter. I know the whole falling for a ghost thing might sound weird, but if I was Bella, I'd probably fall for him, too. Who wouldn't? He's gorgeous, and romantic, and lots more! Now that he's in the picture, he'll be in it for good. I find myself writing more and more for each chapter—it's so much fun now that Edward's in the story! Oh, and in case anyone was wondering, Edward is not a transparent ghost. He doesn't look shadowy or anything—he looks like a real person…just with a glow. Edward's very special, what can I say? But I don't need to tell you Edward lovers that! And I've added a link on my profile to some background/historical info on "Clair de Lune" in case anyone's interested…because I'm just a history nut like that! Anyways, I'll update on Thursday. Read and review :-) **


	7. A Peek Into The Past

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters. They all belong to the amazingly talented Stephenie Meyer.

_**Chapter 7: A Peek Into The Past**_

Unlike yesterday morning when I woke up feeling well-rested, I felt very groggy today. It had taken me forever to fall asleep, and when I did finally get to sleep, I had tossed and turned quite a bit. But I didn't care—I had Edward on my mind.

I hopped out of bed, eager to get downstairs and see him. Though we hadn't actually agreed on a specific time to talk, I was still hoping to spend time with him this morning. But as I was putting on my robe, I wondered if perhaps we should have come up with a certain time to meet, because I had no idea what to expect. Would he just randomly appear at some point? Would he be waiting for me downstairs right now? There were a number of possibilities, but when I exited my room, I realized that there was no need to worry. He was leaning against the wall in the hallway, waiting for me.

He looked perfect, of course. I wished that I could look that great in the morning. Then again, he was inhuman. It seemed only natural that he be inhumanly beautiful.

I broke into a huge grin as I walked over to him. In turn, he flashed me his breathtaking crooked smile.

"Good morning, Bella. Did you sleep well?"

"Good morning, Edward. Actually no, I didn't sleep that great. I was woken up in the middle of the night by this noise coming from downstairs," I teased.

He stifled a laugh and played along. "Wow, I'm sorry to hear that. What was the noise?"

"Hmm, I think it was the piano."

"The piano? Well, I at least hope you were treated to a good show as opposed to a ludicrous composition comprised of little time and thought."

I had to smile at his formality. "Yes, I was. Thank you for your concern."

"My pleasure."

We both stared at each other for a moment, then broke into fits of laughter.

"Oh Edward—a 'ludicrous composition?'"

He let out a snort. "Hey, it very well could have been."

"But it wasn't. It was one of the most beautiful things I've ever heard."

The laughter faded off of our faces and we gazed at each other intensely. My stomach, however, had other plans. After about a minute, it growled loudly.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Bella. You need to eat."

"Edward, really—it's ok." If he was the cause of my missing breakfast, I didn't mind at all.

"No, no," he insisted. "Go downstairs and eat your breakfast. We can talk after you eat and get dressed."

_NO! Breakfast could wait! _"Are you sure? I mean, it's not like breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Dinner, perhaps, but not breakfast. Lunch is even more important than breakfast. Probably because…"

"Oh, Bella," he interrupted, "You're stalling aren't you?"

My shoulders slumped, defeated. "Is it that obvious?"

He laughed softly. "Oh, just a little bit. But if it's any consolation, I want to keep talking to you as well. Think about it, though," he said, walking towards me, "If you eat now, we have the whole rest of the day to get to know each other."

_Yes! _"That sounds nice," I said blissfully.

"Well, it's settled then. You go have breakfast and get ready, and I'll be waiting for you in the living room."

"Do you promise?"

"Yes, Bella—I promise," he said in earnest. Then, ever so slowly, he brought his hand up towards my face. I stood frozen in place, unsure of how this would feel. It's not like I'd ever experienced anything like this before, let alone with a ghost. But when his hand lightly touched the side of my face, the entire world disappeared, leaving just the two of us to bask in this moment. I was almost expecting that his hand would have gone through my cheek, but it was as if an invisible force field was preventing that from happening. Though I couldn't physically feel his touch, what did happen was far more sensational. It felt like an electrical current was running through my entire body, not just where he touched. With that came a feeling of complete safety and ease. I had nothing to fear around Edward. After a moment, he slowly took his hand away and looked at me with cautious eyes.

"Was that ok, Bella?"

I felt like I was floating. "Yes, Edward. It was more than ok."

He looked pleased with himself. "Good," he said, flashing me his trademark smile. I'll see you in a little while."

I walked towards the stairs to go down and eat. And as I put my hand on the banister, I glanced behind me to see if he was still there. He was not. _Wow, that was quick._ I chuckled softly then made my way to the kitchen.

I ate my cereal as fast as I could, then ran to my room to change. I stood in front of my closet, agonizing over what to wear. After about five minutes of getting nowhere, I finally just settled for a tank top and jeans. Less than a minute later, I flew downstairs and into the living room. I expected to see him at the piano or on the couch, but he was nowhere to be found. Puzzled, I looked in the dining room and the kitchen—not there either. I made my way back to the living room and decided to wait for him. Suddenly, I felt that electrifying sensation—just as I had before when he touched my face.

"Boo," he whispered into my ear from behind me.

I let out a shriek and whirled around. He was doubled over, laughing hysterically. I was at a loss for words, so I simply glared at him.

"You should have seen your face," he choked out.

"That was not funny. You scared me!"

He smirked. "Oh, now I scare you?"

"Edward," I began, but the amusement that covered his face broke through my concentration and I started to laugh, too. It was impossible to stay angry at him.

"So," Edward said after our laughter finally died down, "Shall we?" He gestured to the couch.

"Ok," I said eagerly.

We sat down in comfortable silence for a minute. I was trying to figure out where to begin; there was so much I wanted to talk about with him. I decided to start with what I was most curious about.

"Edward, I was wondering—when did you, um, how…"

"How did I die," he finished.

My face flushed. "Well, yeah. And I hope you don't mind me asking."

His smile was comforting. "I don't mind at all, Bella," he assured me. "Feel free to ask me whatever you'd like."

I took a deep breath. "Ok, well, yes—how did you die?"

"Well, I think it would be best if I started at the beginning." He paused for a moment, then began.

"I was born on June 20, 1901. My parents were Edward Sr. and Elizabeth, two of the most wonderful people in the world." He smiled and a look of admiration came into his eyes. "I was an only child, so of course, I got all the attention." He winked at me. "We lived a comfortable lifestyle, but even so, I was never overly spoiled. My parents taught me that if I wanted something, it would be more worthwhile if I worked for it myself. I wouldn't get anywhere if I simply sat and twiddled my thumbs. It was actually my father who preached that most often. He was a self-made man who became a very prominent figure in the local business community."

"Wow, good for him," I said, impressed.

"Yes, I know. I was very proud of him."

"And your mom," I asked.

"My mother was one of the most compassionate and loving people I'd ever known. She made taking care of our family and our house her top priority. I always knew—at the end of the day—that if I lost everything else, I would still have her love." His voice broke on that last word.

My eyes welled up with tears. "Oh Edward, that's wonderful."

He nodded sadly at me then stared down at his lap. I guessed that this was where his story would take its tragic turn.

"It was the summer of 1918 when the Spanish influenza hit Chicago. I was seventeen. We'd had some outbreaks before, but nothing of this magnitude. Just days after the first person caught the illness, hundreds were dead." He took a deep breath. "My father was the first in our family to come down with it. My mother and I did everything possible to ease his suffering, but it was to no avail. His fever got worse, and in about four days, he was dead." His voice was trembling, and it sounded as though it was taking all of his strength to finish. I moved closer to him and lightly placed my hands on his. Though I felt that sensational jolt of electricity running through me again, I couldn't possibly enjoy it when Edward was in so much pain.

He continued. "My mother got sick a couple of days after my father died. I had a bad feeling that would happen. After all, we'd been exposed to him for days. I felt absolutely numb. I could stand losing one parent, and now there was the likelihood that I would lose the other one, too. By the time I got sick, remember feeling incredibly angry—angry at this disease for killing thousands of innocent people, angry that my family was completely wiped out, angry at myself and wishing that I could have done more to help my parents…"

"But Edward, you did everything you could. I know you wouldn't have done anything less than your best." By now, I was crying. "This disease was just so powerful. It was pretty much unbeatable. So please don't blame yourself for what happened to your parents."

He looked at me and slowly nodded. "But most of all, I was angry that I couldn't live out my life. I was dying at seventeen for God's sake! There was so much that I wouldn't be able to experience—going off to college, getting a decent job, taking a wife, having children. It would all be over."

"I know, Edward. I would feel exactly the same way."

He paused, and a livid glint came into his eyes. "And if that wasn't enough, apparently I'm destined to walk the earth forever. Forever being forced to endure an eternity of solitude. Forever a witness to the life I was never allowed to live. Forever on the outside looking in." He closed his eyes and tried to collect himself. Then, he spoke quietly. "I only wanted—if I couldn't live—to be able to pass into the next life and see my parents again. And yet, here I am, and I don't know why."

"Edward, look at me." He opened his eyes. "You were obviously meant to stay on earth for a reason. You'll figure out why—I just know it." I brought my hand up to touch his cheek. "And besides, you're not alone anymore. I'm here."

He looked at me, smiled, and took my free hand in both of his. "Yes, thank God for that."

**Ok, so what did you guys think of Edward's story? It totally made me cry when I read it over! And I wanted to try and clear up any confusion any of you may have had about the Bella-Edward touching thing…because I definitely still find it a little confusing! She can't physically feel his skin on hers. But she feels some kind of force field that surrounds his body so that she can't go through him. She also feels a tingling electrical current when they do touch…it sounds pretty amazing :-) I hope this kind of helps. Anyways, I'll probably update on Sunday if I can finish my next chapter in time—which I'm really pushing myself to do. Please don't expect an update then, though. Expect next Thursday, but do check on Sunday evening just to be sure! Knowing me and my determination, I'll probably have it finished so I can publish this weekend. Read and review please!**


	8. Collide

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters. They all belong to the amazingly talented Stephenie Meyer.

_**Chapter 8: Collide**_

Edward and I spent the remainder of the morning and afternoon talking about every subject imaginable. We discussed everything from favorite foods (he loved pasta) to classical music to family traditions. He also revealed what that mysterious and intoxicating fragrance around the house was. His mother had always loved putting vases of fresh lilacs in various parts of the house. She also loved baking, and the sweet smells of sugar and honey could always be counted on to waft through every room. He ended up growing so attached to the scents that they followed him even after he died. What I smelled had been the combination of the lilac and honey. In addition to everything else, Edward told me that as a young boy, he had a dog named Cedric. He shared a funny story about Cedric that had us laughing for quite a while. Apparently one time, Edward thought it would be funny if he tried to dress up Cedric in one of his father's shirts and hats. As one could probably guess, that didn't go too well. But I told him that at least he'd been able to keep a pet for more than a week. My being responsible for the early demise of three goldfish as a child pretty much ruined any possibility of having any more pets.

Of course, our conversation also drifted to past relationships. He seemed genuinely surprised that I had never been in one. According to him, I was "much too beautiful to have never had a significant other (I blushed at this statement)". I was equally surprised to find out that he'd never had a girlfriend.

"Edward, you've seriously never been with anyone?" As with him, I was shocked that someone who looked as good as he did could never have been in any relationships.

"No, I haven't. Though if I recall, there were several girls who showed an interest in me. But can you blame them, what with me being the handsome man that I am," he teased.

I laughed. "Actually no, I can't. You are very handsome if I may say so myself."

He smiled crookedly. "Why thank you. But I just wasn't as drawn to them as they were to me. So I simply let them know in a very polite way that I wasn't interested."

I decided to be bold. "Are you interested now?"

He moved closer so he could put his arm around me. The electrical current, if possible, seemed even stronger than before. "Interested would be an understatement, Bella."

I blushed. "Well, to say that I'm interested in you would also be an understatement."

He looked at me, an excited expression lighting up his face. But this happiness quickly faded to sadness and doubt. "The thing is, Bella, this isn't the most normal of situations that we're in. In fact, it's pretty damn confusing." He stood up and began to pace back and forth. "I really care about you, Bella. I know it may be a little early to say that, but it's true. You make me feel more alive—no pun intended—than anyone else ever has. But how can we truly be together when I'm stuck between two worlds? It's like a slap in the face, you know? Just when you think you're in the clear, you realize that something's standing in the way. Close, but no cigar apparently."

I got up and put my hands on his shoulders. "Edward, I really care about you, too. And believe me, I've thought about the same things you have." I chuckled humorlessly. "A ghost and a human—there's something you see everyday." We both shook our heads at how impossible a match up like ours was. "But this is how I look at it. As much as I'd like to be with you, in more ways than one I'll admit, we can't really do anything about that. So let's just try to be happy with what we've got."

Slowly, a smile spread across his face, and he took one of my hands and held it to his cheek. "More ways than one? Really?"

I turned red. "Well, don't you feel the same way?"

He laughed. "More than you know." He immediately looked thoughtful. "Bella, would you be open to me trying something?"

"Um, sure," I said cautiously.

"Don't worry, Bella. It's nothing bad—at least, I'm hoping it won't be bad."

"Edward, what is it?"

He looked slightly bashful. "May I try to kiss you, Bella?"

I was too shocked to form a coherent response, so I simply nodded. He put a finger under my chin and, without breaking eye contact, very slowly lowered his face to mine. When we were about two inches apart, he paused. Judging by the look in his eyes, it was as though he was wordlessly asking my permission to continue. I nodded once, and he closed the distance, pressing his lips to mine.

It was like holding his hand in that I couldn't physically feel his lips on mine. But what did happen made me shiver in delight. It felt as though I was melting into him—two becoming one. He was just as much a part of me as I was of him. The intensity of the moment grew as an incredible feeling of warmth began to travel through my body.

_A god—Edward is like a god! _Without thinking about it, a soft moan escaped my lips.

He pulled away immediately. "Are you alright, Bella," he asked, concerned.

He obviously must've misinterpreted my moan as one of discomfort. "Yes, Edward. I'm absolutely perfect."

He stepped closer to me again, smiling widely. "Indeed, you are perfect."

_He is just too much, _I thought as he brought his lips back to mine. He began running his hand down my spine, adding that feeling of electricity to the warmth that was flowing through me. The pleasure was almost unbearable. But a sudden sound from outside made me break way from him—the sound of a car door. I glanced behind me at the clock. It was 6:00 PM.

"Oh, shit! Charlie's home."

Edward looked disappointed—and so was I for that matter. I didn't want this moment to end. But if Charlie was going to have a decent dinner, I needed to stay downstairs and whip something up.

"Edward, I've really got to make dinner. But if I had it my way, I'd kiss you all day. You're amazing," I said happily. "Do you want to wait for me in my room? It'll be an hour and a half, two tops."

"I'd wait for you all day for you, Bella," he said, melting me with his gaze.

I smiled blissfully. "See you in a bit, then."

He kissed me lightly on the cheek, then disappeared just as the door opened.

"Hey there, Bells!"

"Um, hey dad," I said, still lost in my Edward haze.

Charlie hung up his belt and walked into the living room. "Did you have a nice day?"

_Hell yes!_ "Oh yeah, just relaxed and hung out." _And spent the day with an amazing guy—well, ghost really. _"So what would you like to eat? You in the mood for anything in particular," I asked, making my way to the kitchen.

"Hmm, it doesn't really matter, Bells. Anything's great." He went to sit on the couch and flipped on the TV.

"Alright." I decided to make some spaghetti. I loved spaghetti and hadn't had it in a while, so I thought now would be as good a time as ever. Of course, I did have an ulterior motive. Spaghetti was very easy to make. It didn't require much effort at all. So, a quick and easy dinner meant more time with Edward!

About twenty minutes later, dinner was ready and we sat down to eat. I was glad Charlie wasn't one for conversation, because I knew I wouldn't be able to talk and make sense at the same time. I was just too caught up thinking about Edward.

I ate my pasta as quickly as possible—without looking suspicious of course. Then I cleared the table and washed the dishes. It was time to make my move.

"Dad, I think I'm just going to turn in for the evening. I'm pretty tired."

Charlie turned to look at me. "Already? It's only 7:00."

"Yeah, well, I've had a busy day."

He raised an eyebrow. "But you said that all you did today was relax."

Ugh, why did Charlie have to play the parental card now? But then, I had an idea. I put my hands on my abdomen and put on my best "I'm PMS-ing" face.

I let out a moan. "Cramps, dad." If there was one thing Charlie couldn't stand, it was girly stuff. "It's almost that time of month and it's wearing me out."

His eyes got wide and he cleared his throat. "Well, uh, go ahead then. Feel better, Bells."

_Wow, that was easy. _I'm a pretty bad liar, so I don't know how Charlie didn't catch me. But there was no time for over thinking it. "Thanks, dad." I went upstairs slowly then practically flew to my room.

Of course, Edward was there already. He was sitting on my bed. As soon as I walked in the room, a huge smile lit up his face.

"Well, you're earlier than I thought you'd be."

"I'm a fast eater, what can I say?"

He chuckled. "Ah, yes. How was the pasta?"

"How did you know," I asked, surprised.

"I told you, you fascinate me, Bella. Besides, I couldn't bear to wait for you in your room. I had to see you—whether you knew it or not."

I blushed and walked over to sit next to him on the bed. He put his arm around me. "You're too sweet, you know that?"

"Yes, actually I do," he teased.

I playfully smacked him but he gently took hold of my arm and began tracing patterns on it with his fingers. I shivered at how wonderful it felt.

He looked at me slyly. "So Bella, I don't want to come across sounding like a pig, but would you be interested in perhaps picking up where we left off earlier?"

I suddenly remembered that I'd just eaten. And he probably wouldn't find tomato sauce and pasta residue in my mouth very appealing.

"Can I have a minute first?"

He gestured broadly. "Go right ahead."

On my way to the bathroom, I grabbed my pajama shorts and tank top to change into. I brushed my teeth quickly, changed, and ran my brush through my hair. As I walked back into my room, I noticed that his eyes popped a little at the sight of me.

"Bella, there are no words to describe how gorgeous you look."

My face turned red again as I stopped in front of him. "I'm just in my pajamas, Edward."

He stood up and cupped my face with his hand. "That makes no difference to me. You are, and always will be, the most beautiful creature I've ever laid eyes on. Even your name is a testament to your beauty. After all, 'Bella' does mean 'beautiful' in Italian."

I looked up at him and immediately began to laugh quietly.

He looked offended. "What? What did I say?"

"Edward, if you ever happen to meet anyone else that you end up falling for, promise me that you'll never use a line like that on them!"

"Which one," he asked, confused.

"The one about 'Bella' and 'beautiful'. It was very sweet, don't get me wrong. But it was just so…well, it was somewhat cheesy."

He surprised me by beginning to chuckle, himself. "Hey, I'm new at this. Don't come down on me too hard." But he abruptly became serious. "I meant what I said, though. You are incredibly beautiful. And just so you know, I have no interest in meeting and falling for someone else. You, Bella Swan, are the only one I'll ever…"

I froze. "'The only one I'll ever' what?"

He paused and took a deep breath. "Bella, this is only the first day we've known each other, but we've covered so much ground. So much so that I feel like I've known you for years. My feelings for you go much farther than I thought they would for anyone. Let's just say that I more than just like you. But I don't know if I'm ready to tell you the exact words—not yet anyways."

It was obvious which words he was referring to. "Why not?"

He ran a hand through is hair. "Well, first of all, I don't want to scare you off by coming on too strong or anything."

"I don't think you're coming on too strong, Edward." My eyes welled up. "I feel exactly the same way about you."

"Bella, please be serious. You also have a huge chance of meeting some other guy that you're crazy about—who's actually human. You could grow old with him. And in case you didn't realize, I'm not getting any older. I could never put myself out there knowing that our chances of realistically being a couple are slim."

"Edward, please believe me. I am serious—serious about you. I understand where you're coming from, really. But I'm not going anywhere."

"What about when you get older?"

"We'll just deal with it when the time comes."

"What about—well, you know…" he trailed off suggestively. "As much as I'd like to, we couldn't possibly, well…"

I laughed nervously. "Well, though I would like to of course, I guess I don't really need to. Just being with you is enough."

He sighed. "That's nice of you to say. But are you sure? I feel like I'm depriving you of a lot of things."

I wrapped my arms around his neck. "Edward, you could never deprive me of anything."

He began to grin and wrapped his arms around my waist. "You know what I said earlier? About you being an auctioneer? Well, I think if there was a career that involved cheering people up full-time, you would do wonderfully with that, too."

"Huh, is that so? I guess I'm just multitalented."

"I guess you are."

He bent his face to mine—more confident now—to kiss me. It started gentle enough, but grew more heated (quite literally if you factored in the warming sensation flowing through me) and passionate as we continued.

"But Isabella, what I wouldn't do to have just one day to be human," he said, kissing down my neck to my shoulders. Each of these kisses was like a shock to my system, energizing my body and soul. I remembered what he'd said about that I make him feel alive. He did the exact same for me.

"Why," I breathed.

He looked up at me from where he'd been kissing my left shoulder. "So I could kiss you properly—and I mean really kiss you."

My stomach fluttered in delight at the thought. The feel of his warm, soft lips on mine, his tongue exploring my mouth—and maybe other places as well…

He continued talking between kisses. "I could take you out on a real date. To dinner, the pier, a movie—wherever you'd like."

_That would be pretty wonderful._

"And if I may be so blunt," he began, his green eyes smoldering, "I would spend the entire night memorizing every curve of your beautiful body; every sound you'd make when I would please you; the way your hair would look fanned out on the pillow underneath me."

My eyes were closed, picturing the scene in my head. I felt like I was going to lose it. Before I even realized what happened, I had let out a very audible moan.

"God, Edward—have you any idea what you're doing to me?"

He chuckled. "Hmm, no, I don't think so. Why don't you explain," he asked teasingly.

I sucked in a long breath to steady myself. "You're driving me crazy. You're…"

Suddenly, I heard the sound of footsteps coming up the stairs. _Fuck, Charlie must've heard me._ I flew to the bed, curled up on my side, and got under the covers. Edward disappeared simultaneously. A few seconds later, my door cracked open and Charlie poked his head in.

"Are you ok, Bells," he whispered. "I thought I heard a noise."

"Yeah, dad. Just the cramps," I replied, trying to add a tone of discomfort to my voice.

"Oh, ok—sorry. Sleep good," he said, closing the door.

A few seconds passed, then just as quickly as Edward had disappeared, there he was again. He came to lie on the bed beside me and gently stroked my arm with his fingertips. The sensation me made realize how tired I was and I yawned.

"You should sleep, love. You've had a long day."

_Love? _I smiled widely despite my groggy state, and I felt myself becoming even more relaxed.

"Goodnight, dearest Bella," he whispered, leaning over to tenderly kiss my cheek.

As I was drifting to sleep, I thought about all the conversations we had today. And I realized something. Though I would be content to have everything stay as is, I desperately wished—like Edward—that he could be human, if only for a day.

_If only…_

**Hello dear readers! A week-long hiatus deserves an equally long chapter. I believe this is my longest yet…and they just keep getting longer. Anyways, I'd like to give a big shout out and thank you to Vixen Hood for tipping me off about Edward's scent. I had only seen it in the other books described as 'indescribable'. LOL. But it is briefly mentioned in **_**Breaking Dawn **_**after Bella is changed; his "honey-lilac and sun" scent. Sounds like a pretty wonderful scent to me! Just to clear up any possible confusion, when Edward and Bella kiss, it's exactly the same as the touching deal. They can't physically feel each other, but there's that force field/tingly/energy thing. She can't go through him, but she feels that electrical current sensation…just an FYI :-) Also as an FYI, all this sex talk in the chapter is definitely foreshadowing—there will be Bella/Edward lemons later on in future chapters…but you'll just have to wait and see how that happens! Oh, and how'd you all like the name of Edward's dog—'Cedric'! I'm not at all saying that Cedric Diggory is a dog, because he's not. He's fine as hell…haha. But I just thought the name would be cute. Anyways, next Thursday, I'm going to be heading out of town for an extended weekend (for my birthday!) so I can't update next Thursday. However, I will give you chapter 9 on Tuesday before I go. And to make it less confusing, I'll update every Tuesday instead of Thursday (because I don't want to make you all wait for 9 days for an update). Ok, time to cut the rambling! Read and review :-) **


	9. It's About Time!

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters. They all belong to the amazingly talented Stephenie Meyer.

_**Chapter 9: It's About Time!**_

I awoke early today, having slept peacefully and uninterrupted. Even though my clock only read 7:00 AM, I felt energized and ready to go. I realized that this had been the first time since we moved here that I hadn't woken up at all during the night.

When I sat up and stretched, I was greeted with the sight of Edward sitting at the foot of my bed, smiling crookedly at me.

"Good morning, love," he said sweetly, moving closer so he could kiss my forehead. It felt like my heart would fly whenever he called me that.

"Morning, Edward. What did you do last night," I asked, knowing that he obviously couldn't sleep.

He shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly. "Just stayed up here with you."

"What? Why?" I couldn't see how staying upstairs all night with a sleeping person could be considered interesting.

He began to smile. "Well, I just simply didn't want to leave your side. You're too irresistible."

As usual, I blushed. "No, I doubt it."

"Why would I lie about something like that?" He cupped my face with his hand. "Shall I show you how irresistible you are to me?" With that, he leaned down to kiss me, softly at first, but gradually building in intensity. We kept kissing enthusiastically for several minutes, wrapped up in each other's arms and reveling in the moment. Edward was perfection, and I just couldn't get enough of him. When we finally broke apart, he kept his eyes closed, complete with a goofy grin on his beautiful face.

I giggled. "Happy are we?"

He opened his eyes and chuckled. "Ecstatic would be more like it. And how about you?"

I sighed, contented. "You have no idea how incredibly happy I am."

"Hmm, I think I have some idea," he said knowingly.

"What do you mean, Edward?"

He got an amused look on his face. "You do know that you talk in your sleep, right?"

Shit, I had forgotten about that! I've talked in my sleep for as long as I can remember. My mom always made fun of me for it. But I've gotten so used to the occurrence that I forgot about it…until now, of course.

I was absolutely mortified. "Oh god, what did I say," I asked shakily, mentally going through everything he could have heard.

His expression became one of adoration. "You said that you loved me."

_Ok, that one wasn't so bad._ "Well, it's true," I admitted.

Again, he brought his lips to mine for a very enthusiastic kiss. I wanted to burst with glee. Seeing him happy like this made me happy. And when he was hurting, so was I. Just as we melted into one when we kissed, we were one emotionally as well. After a little while, I broke away from him and touched my forehead to his.

"I love you, Edward Masen," I whispered.

"And I love you, Isabella Swan," he said fervently.

I was so glad that he was finally able to say those words. It made me very optimistic about our future. And I'm not sure why, but I just had a feeling that the best was yet to come.

We sat there for a few moments, simply enjoying each other's company. I never wanted to leave his side, but just like yesterday morning, my stomach ruined the moment and I knew that I had to go eat.

"Unfortunately, Edward, I should be getting downstairs. Apparently, it's breakfast time," I said, patting my stomach ruefully.

He let out a whine and stuck out his bottom lip, pouting. It was extremely childish, but I had to chuckle. It was just so unlike anything he would do.

"Must you go," he asked, giving me the puppy dog eyes.

"Afraid so, but you're welcome to come with me, of course."

His eyes lit up and he took my hand. Slowly, we made our way downstairs to the kitchen. He sat down at the table, watching me while I popped a couple of frozen waffles into the oven to toast.

"What are you making," he asked curiously.

"Just some waffles."

He looked extremely taken aback. "But, you took them out of a box…and they were…they were frozen," he sputtered, in a state of obvious disbelief.

"Yeah, so?"

"So, I can't believe society has resorted to eating breakfast from a box—and that such a thing has become acceptable. In my time, waffles were actually made, not thrown into the oven for five minutes after being frozen. A lot of effort went into the making of a meal." He looked at me awkwardly, then cleared his throat.

I couldn't help myself—I started laughing.

"What," he asked, slightly furrowing his eyebrows.

"I suppose in your time, children also had to walk for miles in the snow to get to school," I said, using the cliché anecdote that parents and grandparents sometimes tell kids.

He paused briefly. "Well, just one mile really…but that's not the point!"

"Then what is?" I was very curious as to figure out what brought on his mini rant.

"I don't know, I guess I'm just not used to the happenings of today's world. It's much different to say the least. Sometimes it's a little hard for me to absorb everything."

I sat down next to him. "I can imagine. Being used to one thing and then experiencing something new is definitely difficult."

"Yeah, tell me about it," he agreed. "And plus, well, you deserve better than frozen waffles."

I began to laugh again. "You know that this is probably the silliest conversation we've ever had, right?"

He joined in with my laughter. "Yes, I'd be willing to bet that it is."

"But it's very sweet of you to look out for me and be concerned about my well-being."

His eyes locked into mine. "I'll always look out for you, Bella. You are my life now." He took my hand and kissed it.

And after a moment as sweet as that, what more can you possibly say or do? It wasn't until after a few minutes of comfortable silence that I smelled something.

"Aw, crap—the waffles!" I ran to the stove and opened the oven door. A thick cloud of smoke flew out, which I tried to swat away. As soon as everything was clear, I looked inside. The waffles were burnt to a crisp.

He snickered. "Well, that just proves it. Frozen waffles are not a suitable breakfast."

I rolled my eyes at him and tossed the blackened waffles into the trash. "But you know what is suitable, of course? Cereal," I said, picking up a box and shaking it. I poured myself a bowl and sat down at the table. As I began to eat, he made a gagging noise.

"Revolting," he said in disgust.

"Only to you, Edward. This is the 21st century—get with it," I teased.

After I finished eating and getting dressed, I decided to do some laundry. There was quite the pile of dirty clothes collecting in the hamper, so it needed to be done. As I was putting the first load into the dryer, the phone rang. _Ugh._ Of course, I had to be interrupted right in the middle of an important task.

"Hello," I said, annoyed.

"Bella Swan, I am insulted! Now, what kind of a way is that to greet your best friend?"

"Alice! Oh my god! How are you?" I was practically jumping up and down. It was so good to hear from her.

"Oh, I'm hangin' in there." She sounded a little bored. "You know, Forks isn't exactly an exciting place to live now that you've left."

I laughed. "It was never that exciting, Alice."

"I know, but now it's _really_ not exciting."

"So, it's still the same as ever," I asked.

Alice sighed. "No, actually, I think it's gotten even greener." She, like me, was very bored with the small town life. Many times when we'd talk, she would express an interest in moving to a big city one day.

I groaned. "Really? I didn't think it was possible. I guess I'm glad that I got out when I did."

"You make it sound like a horror movie," she said, laughing. _"Get out while you still can!"_

"Hey, to me it kind of was! Except that I had the most awesome best friend to make things more fun."

"Yes, well—I guess I am pretty awesome, aren't I?"

We laughed. "Yeah, Alice, I suppose you are." I got a sudden pang of sadness. "I miss you, you know."

"Aw, Bella—I miss you, too. And that's why, drum roll please…I'm coming to visit you."

"What!?"

"Yep," she said proudly. "I just had a feeling that it was time to pay my good friend a visit."

"Oh my god! When will you be here?"

"Well, seeing as how my plane takes off in half an hour, probably in five hours!"

"Ahh!" I began screaming and dancing around the room. Edward must've heard me scream (then again, who couldn't within a one block radius) because the next thing I knew, he was in front of me, looking concerned. He must have thought I'd gotten hurt. I assured him that I wasn't with a smile and shake of my head, which in turn, made him smile.

"Geez, Bella, calm down," she said with a laugh. "It's only me coming for a visit."

"Exactly, Alice! How long are you staying?"

"Two weeks. I figure it'll give me ample time to hang out with my best friend and see the city."

"Oh my god, you're going to love it! There's so much to do." I suddenly remembered how into shopping Alice was. "And you'll most certainly love this one area downtown. It's got all these really high-end stores…"

"The Magnificent Mile—I know! I can't wait to check it out!"

I should have guessed that Alice would know about it. I laughed. "Yeah, but don't go too crazy with the shopping, ok? Try not to spend all your money in one day."

She snorted. "Bella, that's like asking for world peace. It's not gonna happen! You just have to accept the fact that I'm a shopaholic, and that it's not going to change anytime soon."

"And admitting that you have a problem is the first step in the right direction," I joked.

"Ok, enough about my shopping habits," she snapped. "Have you made any new friends yet?"

"Yes, I have! Their names are Jasper and Rosalie Hale. As it turns out, they live really close by and they're going to the same school as me."

"That's awesome, Bella! We should all get together and hang out while I'm there. I'd love to meet them."

"That sounds like fun!" I was sure Alice would find common ground with Rosalie on the subject of fashion, so they would definitely get along. And Jasper was just an all-around nice, fun guy. I was certain that they'd get along as well.

"So, have you met anyone else?" I didn't like the tone in her voice.

"Um, what do you mean?"

"You know—have you _met_ anyone," she asked suggestively.

At that moment, I caught Edward's eye and he winked at me. "I, um…ahem, no, I haven't."

She sighed. "Oh Bella, I see that your lying skills haven't improved at all. So, who is he?"

I made the mistake of looking at Edward again, which completely blew what little focus I had left to smithereens. I decided to just tell the truth.

"Well, there is this one guy," I said, moving into the other room for some privacy.

She let out a whoop and laughed. "I knew it! You've got to tell me about him."

I really didn't know if I should even be telling her, but she was my best friend. Hell, she was practically my sister, so she deserved to know. I knew I couldn't tell Charlie—he'd flip. He'd think I went crazy. But Alice was always crazy, so she would be totally open to this situation! I just didn't know how to explain it. So I decided I'd stall, think about what I'd say, and tell her the details when she arrived.

"Well, I could tell you now or you could just meet him when you get here."

"Bella, that's a great idea! You're sure you could get him to come over and meet me?"

"Trust me, Alice, it's like he never leaves," I said with a chuckle.

"Yay! I'm so excited! Well, anyways Bella, my plane's going to be leaving in a little bit, so I should go. You're sure this'll be ok with your dad?"

"Oh, yeah. Charlie loves you, Alice!"

"Awesome, well, I'll see you soon! And I can't wait to meet this guy of yours," she giggled.

My stomach dropped. "Yep, see you soon."

As soon as I hung up, I knew I had to go talk to Edward. I found him sitting at the piano plunking out an unfamiliar tune. As soon as he saw me, he held out his arms and invited me to sit on the bench with him.

"What were you playing?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "Just a little something I made up."

"Can I hear it?"

He immediately looked nervous. "Well, uh, I'm not finished yet."

I found his behavior a little odd. "Um, ok. Well, can I hear it when you're done?"

"Sure, Bella. Of course." His expression became normal again, and he leaned down to kiss the top of my head. "So who was that on the phone?"

"Actually Edward, I wanted to talk to you about that." I paused. "That was Alice, my good friend."

"The one from Forks, right?"

"Yeah. So she called to tell me, well—she's decided to visit for a couple of weeks."

He froze. "What?"

"And that's not all," I said, drawing in a shaky breath. "She knows that I, um, sort of have someone in my life—if you know what I mean."

He looked even more horrified. "How did she find out?"

"I told her, of course. It's pretty much impossible to lie to her," I said sheepishly. "But she doesn't know anything else except for that. I figure I'd wait 'till she gets here to let her in on the details."

"So you're going to tell her about me? I mean, do you think she'll freak out?"

I surprised myself by laughing. "Yeah, she'll freak out—but in a good way. Alice has always been really accepting of everyone that she meets, which is great in our case." I reached out to hold his hand. "She'll also just be happy that I've finally found someone. Honestly, she wouldn't even care if you were a vampire. She'll just say 'It's about time!' Then of course, there is the third factor that works in our favor…"

"What's that," he asked.

"She's obsessed with all things paranormal: ghosts, shadows, poltergeists…you name it! And she even claims to see visions of the future on occasion." He began to laugh. "I mean, I love her and all, but sometimes…" I trailed off, laughing along with him. "So I wouldn't even worry. She'll probably just spend half her time tracking you like a lab rat."

This made him laugh even harder. "Great, I look forward to it! So when does she arrive?"

I checked my watch. "In about four and a half hours. That should give me enough time to clean, get the couch set up, and prepare for the firecracker that is Alice Cullen."

"The couch? Shouldn't she be staying in your room?"

"Well, truthfully, I'd rather you stay with me. I couldn't go a minute without you, even if I am unconscious for part of the time! Plus, all of Alice's stuff is going to take up most of the room anyways. Having her stay up there with me would make things quite crowded."

"Ah, so what you're saying is that you want me to stay with you because my current state as a ghost equals less room that you need to share," he teased.

"Hmm, no…I really do want you to stay with me. That other part is just icing on the cake!"

We laughed together, then he looked at me curiously. "Do you plan on telling your dad and your other friends about me?"

I thought about it for a minute. "I think I'll tell my friends eventually. They seem like they'd be ok with everything. Though, I don't know them like I know Alice. So I'm holding off for now. And as for my dad, probably not. I'd love to, but he has a very low tolerance to strange occurrences." I chuckled. "He's like the exact opposite of Alice. He can't stand talk of ghosts. If he found out about you and I, he'd probably declare me insane!"

He wrapped his arms around me and a mischievous look came into his eyes. "Well, you are insane. You're insanely fun to talk to," he said, kissing my neck. "You're insanely smart." He kissed the hollow beneath my right ear. "Insanely sweet and kind." He kissed my cheeks and forehead tenderly. "And most of all, you're insanely beautiful," he whispered, pressing his lips sweetly to mine.

"But you forgot one thing," I interrupted.

"And what is that?"

I pressed myself closer to him. "I'm insanely in love with you."

That was all the permission he needed to resume kissing me. _Ah, to be young and in love._

**Hey all! I hope you had a nice weekend! So what did you all think of this chapter? I was so happy to introduce Alice into the story. I love her, she's so much fun. And she'll arrive in the next chapter…yay! And how'd you all like that little vampire reference? Cute, huh? Question—did you all think that bit with the waffles was actually funny? I thought it'd be a nice touch…you know, Edward has a bit of culture shock and gets a little weirded out. I got my inspiration from the movie **_**Kate and Leopold**_**. If anyone has seen it, then you'll know the part where Hugh Jackman is talking about how in his time, everything was a "product of reflection and study". I love that movie! And yes, in case anyone was wondering, that song that Edward is tinkering around with is Bella's Lullaby, which of course resurfaces later. Speaking of which…who's excited for the **_**Twilight**_** soundtrack release on November 4? It's kind of weird (but cool) that we get to hear the lullaby before the movie comes out. But it's so great that one of Rob's songs is going to be on the album!! Yay! We get to hear him sing! If anyone hasn't heard him sing, check out YouTube. There are some videos there. He's got an amazing voice! It's so soulful and intense. Anyways, please read and review. I'll update next Tuesday :-) **


	10. Man Candy

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters. They all belong to the amazingly talented Stephenie Meyer.

_**Chapter 10: Man Candy**_

Edward kept me company while I freshened up the house for Alice. Like before, he would add his signature scent to each room after I finished. Only this time, I could actually see him! I wonder if he knew just how much his presence intoxicated me.

Then, all too soon, the doorbell rang. Edward and I looked at each other nervously. Even though we knew everything would turn out fine, we still couldn't help but be a little anxious.

"You ready," he asked.

"As ready as I'll ever be." I began to walk towards the door, but then thought of something.

"Edward, would you mind stepping into the other room while I talk to Alice? I think it would probably be better to tell her first, before she sees you."

"That's a good idea. In a situation like this, we'd best play it safe."

The doorbell rang again, followed by five sharp raps on the door.

I had to chuckle. "Sorry, patience never really came easily to Alice."

"Well then, let's not keep her waiting." But before I could open the door, he caught my arm and leaned down to kiss me sweetly.

"I love you, Bella. Just remember that." His words comforted me. "And don't worry. It'll all be ok."

I nodded, and he kissed me once more before disappearing. I steadied myself then opened the door.

"Bella," Alice screamed, running into my arms. All nervousness aside, I was incredibly excited to see her—so excited that I picked her up and swung her around. She was so tiny that it was very easy to do so.

"Alice! It's so great to see you. C'mon in," I said, gesturing towards the door.

She cleared her throat and shot me a patronizing look. "Bella, aren't you forgetting something?" She glanced behind her at a group of 8-10 suitcases. "Do you really expect me to carry all of these bags in by myself?"

_You've got to be kidding me!_ "Um, Alice, have you ever heard of traveling light? It would make things a whole lot easier."

Her eyes narrowed. "Easier for me or easier for you?" _Uh oh. _If there was one thing to remember about Alice, it was to never make her angry. And I was willing to bet that even though she was a lot smaller than me, she could probably kick my ass in a fight.

I laughed nervously. "Oh, you of course. I mean, it's just so much more practical to use one, maybe even two bags." She was still glaring at me. "Hell, at the airport, you wouldn't have to check all those bags. And with the fees nowadays for extra checked items, it's just…" I sighed and gave up. Slowly, I made my way over to the front walkway where her bags were.

"Let me give you a hand," I said with as much enthusiasm as I could muster.

She perked up immediately and began to clap her hands. "Yay, that's the spirit!"

I gave Alice a tour of the house after we put her bags in my room. She seemed very impressed with the house, and unlike me, loved the crystal chandeliers. She also spent a considerable amount of time talking about how my house would be a kick-ass place to hold a party. She loves planning grand events. And I told her that she could definitely throw a party here—when pigs fly out of my ass.

We soon found ourselves lounging on the living room rug, catching up. I was surprised to find out that since I left Forks, Alice had broken up with her boyfriend, Mike. They always seemed so close, but apparently not—since he decided to be a dickbag and cheat on her. The good thing was that she didn't seem too upset about it. In fact, she seemed glad to be rid of him and was ready to move on. According to her, she was ready to "suck on a hot new piece of man candy." Um, ew. _Thanks for the lovely mental image, Alice._

"And speaking of man candy…" She eyed me slyly. "Tell me about yours."

_Breathe in, breathe out. _"Gee, Alice, I don't really know where to begin."

She rolled her eyes. "C'mon, Bella—spill!"

I guess there was no turning back now.

"Ok, Alice. His name is Edward."

"Edward what?"

"Edward Masen."

"Ooh, I like it," she squealed.

"His name?" Who gets excited over a name?

"Yeah! It's got this casual elegance about it. Simple yet sophisticated."

I had to admit, Alice was dead-on.

"So tell me more! How did you guys meet?"

"Um, here actually," I said, gesturing around me. She raised her eyebrows at me in confusion.

This was it. I had to tell her. "Look, Alice, we've been friends for quite a while. I trust that you won't judge my decision, and I trust that you won't get weirded out."

She looked at me curiously. "What are you talking about, Bella? Of course I won't judge you."

"Well, Edward isn't exactly what you may think he is. He's a lot different than the average person."

"What, does he have, like, special abilities? Can he read minds or something," she asked excitedly.

"That's not it at all, Alice," I replied, a little louder than I originally planned. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. "He's…a ghost."

I was greeted with silence. This couldn't be a good sign, considering that Alice was never silent. I opened my eyes and found her staring at me, mouth open in shock.

"But Alice, he's not like other spirits—I don't think. He looks exactly like a human, except for this glow surrounding him. He's just…beautiful. Just wait till you seem him! He's sweet and romantic and witty. We can talk for hours about everything and not get tired of each other." I paused for a moment. "I know it sounds crazy but I just…I love him, Alice. And you can't make me turn off my feelings for him."

"I wasn't in question, Bella. I just couldn't believe it. It's amazing." She began smiling widely.

"Seriously, Alice—you don't have to pretend. If I were you, I'd be more than a little creeped out by this."

"But I'm not you—that's just it!" She jumped to her feet and began bouncing up and down. "Bel-la's in lo-ove, Bel-la's in lo-ove."

I got to my feet as well. "Shit, Alice—calm down." I put my hands on her shoulders to try and settle her down.

"Geez, Bella, you're such a downer. You're in love. You should celebrate!"

"Well, I am celebrating. I'm celebrating mentally. You know I'm not one for doing happy dances," I said with a chuckle.

Suddenly, she stopped jumping and looked at me curiously. "So, have you guys _done_ anything yet?" Her implications weren't lost on me.

I blushed. "It's not like that, Alice. We haven't done what you're talking about. We can't really. But we've kissed, though."

"How do you do that, since he's a ghost and all?"

"Well, I can't feel _him_. But I can feel his energy. It's this incredibly electrifying sensation, and it makes me light up inside." I smiled just thinking about it.

"His energy?"

"Yeah. It's like…it's like…" It was hard to explain to someone who never experienced it before. "I'll tell you what Alice, it's sort of difficult to sum it up just in a few sentences. Why don't you just see for yourself?"

Her eyes got so wide that they looked like they'd pop out of her head. "You mean kiss him? But he's yours! I don't care if he is beautiful, that's just whacked out."

I laughed. "No Alice, that's not what I mean. I don't intend on sharing him with anyone! I just mean a simple handshake. A touch feels almost the same as a kiss."

"Oh, ok." She got a devilish look on her face. "So since you can touch him, have you gotten a chance to feel him up a little? You know, give him a nice hand…"

"Alice, no," I shouted, cutting her off. "God, woman—get your mind out of the gutter! I told you, I can't actually feel _him_. And besides, it would be improper to just ask him to drop his pants so I can have my way with him."

"Oh come on, Bella. Don't tell me you wouldn't want a piece of that!"

My face got red again, mostly because it was true. "Well, I suppose I wouldn't object. But only if I could really feel him," I admitted. I definitely was curious…

She let out a whoop. "Ha! I knew it!"

"Ok, Alice—you knew it. You were right. You get a gold star," I said sarcastically. "Now do you want to meet him or not?"

"Oh my gosh, of course." She looked at me eagerly, and to my shock, pulled a small voice recorder out of her pocket.

"Alice, what the hell are you doing?"

"Just a bit of research. I take my recorder with me wherever I go—in case I come across something interesting," she stated. "You don't mind if I tape our conversation with Edward, do you?"

I fixed her with a disapproving stare. "Yes, I mind. He is not a science experiment. Treat him as you would anyone else. And FYI, for the rest of your time here, I'd better not catch you trying to spy on him. Just let him do his own thing."

"But his thing is hanging out with _you._ And I am here to see _you._ So…"

"No recorders, Alice! Don't let your obsession with the paranormal get in the way of my happiness." I held out my hand and she begrudgingly placed the voice recorder into it.

"This is not over, Bella."

"Oh, yes it is! Now, wait here while I go get Edward."

I walked out of the living room and rounded the corner. He was sitting at the top of the stairs, resting his elbows on his knees. As soon as he saw me, he smiled and came down.

"Hi, beautiful," he said, wrapping his arms around me. "I missed you."

I smiled up at him. "It hasn't been that long."

"Doesn't matter. Any moment spent without you is one I'll never be able to get back."

"Well," I said, tightening my hold on him, "I guess we'll just have to make up for lost time."

"Sounds like a plan to me," he replied, leaning in and enveloping me in a deep kiss. It was easy to get caught up in a moment like this, but I knew that Alice wouldn't want to be kept waiting.

I reluctantly pulled away from him. "As much as I would love to continue this, Edward, I'd like for you to meet Alice."

"So, she was ok with everything?"

"Oh, she was more than just ok," I said happily. "She was extremely excited about us." I glanced down at the recorder still in my hand. "And extremely excited about you."

He looked in the direction of my gaze. "What is that?"

"A voice recorder. She wanted to tape our conversation with you," I grumbled.

He laughed. "Well, based on what you told me about her, that sounds about right."

I sighed. "So, you ready?"

"Definitely." He smiled crookedly and took my hand. We made our way over to the living room, stopping to kiss quickly just outside the door.

"Let's go," I whispered, and very slowly, we walked in.

As soon as we entered, Alice stood up and came towards us, smiling hugely. "Edward, I'd like for you to meet my best friend, Alice Cullen. Alice, this is my Edward," I said, practically glowing with pride.

He cautiously held out his hand. "It's lovely to meet you, Alice. Bella's told me such wonderful things about you."

Alice stayed put, staring at Edward with a crazy grin on her face. "Go on, Alice," I whispered. "Shake his hand."

Without warning, she barreled forward and gave him a hug, catching us completely off guard. It took Edward a moment to regain his composure, but he slowly returned the hug.

"It's so nice to meet you, Edward! Bella's told me great things about you, too! But I'm sure she tells you how amazing you are anyways, so no surprise there. So, what's it like being a ghost? Is it pretty cool or hard to deal with? What was your human life like…?"

He began to laugh. "Whoa, hold on there."

"Yeah, Alice—give him room to breath," I said.

"Maybe you could try that once in a while," she shot back. "You think I don't know what you guys were doing out there?" She raised her eyebrows knowingly and began making kissing noises.

I smacked her shoulder and looked away, embarrassed. I didn't know that Edward was behind me until I felt his arms wind around my waist.

"What can I say, Alice?" He gazed down at me and I found myself getting lost in the depths of his green eyes. "She's too impossible to resist." He bent down and kissed the tip of my nose, making me giggle. In response, he flashed his beautiful smile at me.

Alice cleared her throat. "Hello? Earth to Edward and Bella!"

_Edward and Bella._ I liked how our names sounded together.

I turned to look at Alice. "Sorry, I was distracted," I said, smiling.

"Clearly. So, Edward, I would definitely like to ask you some questions if you don't mind."

I growled softly. "No grilling, Alice."

"Oh, Bella—I just want to get to know the man my best friend has fallen for."

Edward chuckled. "It's ok, Bella. As they say in Latin—'In Omnia Paratus,'" he said dramatically. Alice and I stared blankly at him. A big smile crept across his face. "I assume you both haven't taken Latin. The phrase means 'ready for anything.' Therefore, I am ready for anything." He winked at me.

I sighed. "Alright, why don't we all go into the kitchen and I can make you some coffee while you two talk, Alice."

"Yay, I love coffee! This is going to be fun," she exclaimed.

"Yes, Alice, I love coffee too. You know what else I love about coffee? The fact that it also comes in decaf—which is what you're getting."

Her face fell. "No fair, Bella! Decaf is for the weak!"

"No, decaf is for the people who don't need to get even more hyper than they already are."

She stuck her tongue out at me, which caused Edward to start laughing. However, she almost immediately shut him up with just one nasty glance.

"Hey, if I give you decaf, you can shop for me if you want." I knew she loved getting me new clothes and dressing me up. But I instantly regretted my promise, because I also knew that she would go overboard.

"Seriously? Oh my god, you're the greatest, Bella! Just you wait. When I'm through with you, everyone's going to be so jealous. They'll totally wish they were as good looking as you'll be." She began skipping towards the kitchen, rambling about all the things she was planning on buying me. I shook my head and rolled my eyes.

"What is it, love? Don't you want new clothes," Edward asked, putting his arm around me and slowly leading me to the kitchen.

"Well, not really. I only said that to get Alice off my back," I admitted.

He laughed. "Nice going. But I suppose there wasn't much else you could do. That girl is a spitfire!"

"She means well, though, even if she is obnoxious!"

We walked in comfortable silence for a moment, then he spoke. "You know, I was thinking. If I had a request for Alice to get something during her shopping trip, do you think she would?"

I chuckled. "Oh, Edward, I doubt it. She probably already has a list going in her head of what she's going to get. There's usually no changing her mind, but who knows? Why do you ask?"

He looked slightly embarrassed. "Well, I'm very partial to the color blue on you. Your radiance is multiplied tenfold when you wear that color."

I blushed. I should have known that he liked the color blue. Who could forget the infamous blouse incident? "Thank you, Edward. That's very sweet. So, you want me to ask Alice if she could add some blue to my closet?"

"Yes, but I can just ask her myself," he said, smiling crookedly. Something seemed fishy to me. Not bad, just weird. I mean, why couldn't I have any input in the choice of my clothes? But I just let it drop.

"You know, it's a good thing that my favorite color is blue anyways. This could work out in both of our favors. And it would also mean that my new wardrobe would be a little less pink," I added with a laugh.

"Pink?"

"Yep, Alice's favorite color."

He shuddered. "I detest pink." A speculative look came into his eyes. "But if you wore it, maybe it wouldn't be so bad. And even if it was, I could just suggest that you take it off," he said slyly with a wink.

My mouth popped open at the not-so-subtle innuendo. "Edward! Behave yourself," I hissed, blushing furiously.

He chuckled. "Not a chance, love."

"Were you always this forward?"

"No. I suppose you just bring out a whole new side in me," he confessed, kissing my cheek lightly.

By the time we got to the kitchen, Alice was bouncing in her seat at the table. "C'mon Edward, sit down!"

Edward and I exchanged a quick glance before he sat down. Immediately, Alice began firing questions his way. I had to commend him, though. If any of the questions bothered him, he didn't let on about it. In fact, it was Alice who became emotional, especially after Edward told her the story of how he died. I was pouring the coffee and putting some cookies on a plate when I heard her walk up behind me, sniffling.

"Hey Bella, can I use some paper towel?" I turned around. Alice's eyes were red and puffy.

"Sure, are you ok," I asked, handing her a couple of pieces.

"Yeah, that story was just awful. Poor Edward," she said, dabbing her eyes and blowing her nose.

I thought back to when Edward told me the story and nearly got choked up just remembering it.

"He's so lucky to have you, Bella. You know that, right? After all he's been through, he deserves every happiness."

"Thanks, Alice. I feel pretty lucky to have him, too." I looked over at him sitting at the table, waiting patiently. He caught my eye and smiled.

"I think any girl would be lucky to have a guy like Edward. I mean, he's totally gorgeous…" she trailed off. Something behind my shoulder had caught her attention. I turned around to see what she was looking at. Her eyes were locked on a small photo on the refrigerator. In it were me, Rosalie, and Jasper. It was taken at Navy Pier, in one of those little photo booths that you find in shopping malls.

"Who is that?"

"Oh, those are my friends Rosalie and Jasper. I told you about them."

"Uh huh," she replied, still in her trance. "So that's Jasper?"

"Yes…"

"Wow," was all she could say.

It looked like Alice had found her "hot new piece of man candy."

**Haha! Alice and her man candy…you gotta love it! So here it is, chapter 10—Yay! What do you all think of Alice? Is she hilarious or what? I added a little bit of raunch to her character in this story—lots of dirty jokes and innuendos…and it only gets funnier! Next chapter will be super awesome. Lots of fun and drama. Also in the next chapter…the return of Rosalie and Jasper…and we'll get to meet Emmett, too! Oh, and the whole thing with the wardrobe and Edward being all secretive—you'll soon find out what that was about. Let's just say that he's had a few fantasies about Bella! Hey, did you all like my **_**Gilmore Girls **_**reference—"In Omnia Paratus!" I couldn't resist! And oh my gosh…who's seen the official **_**Twilight**_** trailer that was released last week? I pretty much died when I saw it! Rob is so hot! And did you notice that part when Kristen dropped the apple in the cafeteria? How it just bounces off of Rob's foot and he catches it…exactly in the same way that is depicted on the cover the book? Sorry, random, but very interesting! Love it! And the kiss…wow! Very sexy! I'm so jealous that Kristen got to kiss Rob. Anyways, read and review. I'll update next Tuesday :-)**


	11. At First Sight

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters. They all belong to the amazingly talented Stephenie Meyer.

_**Chapter 11: At First Sight**_

"Alice? Hello?" I waved my hand in front of her face and she finally looked up at me.

"Oh sorry, Bella. I was just, um…"

"Mentally undressing Jasper?" It was so obvious.

She giggled. "Something to that extent. But can you blame me? I mean, that guy is smokin'." She walked over to the fridge and took the photo off. "You are so adorable," she whispered. _Wait, did she seriously just talk to the picture?_ Talking to inanimate objects—never a good thing.

"Ok…um, Alice, here's your coffee," I said, trying to distract her. "Let's go sit down."

"Yeah, sure. Oh, and Bella—can I keep this?" She gestured to the picture.

"Um, alright…" Shit, was she weird sometimes.

When we sat at the table, Edward could notice an obvious difference in Alice's behavior. The fact that she was practically licking the picture might have had something to do with it.

"What's with her," he asked.

I chuckled. "Alice found a new obsession."

"What? Making love to photographs?"

"Apparently. It seems to be all the rage these days, especially…"

"Excuse me," she broke in, "I'm right here, you know."

I turned to face Alice. "Oh, sorry. We thought that you and the photo might've wanted some alone time." I looked at Edward and we started laughing.

She huffed. "Fine, laugh if you will. But I'll have the last laugh when Jasper and I hit it off."

"Oh, ok Alice."

"So when _do_ I get to meet him and Rosalie?"

"Soon," I replied. "You know, I haven't spoken to them in a few days. Why don't I give them a call tonight and we'll see what we can do."

Alice began clapping. "Yay! Thank you, Bella. I SO cannot wait to meet them. And hey, Edward, you've totally gotta hang out with all of us!"

"Oh, well…" he and I began together. I nodded once to let him know that he could explain.

"Well Alice, Bella and I have decided that now may not exactly be a good time to let them know about me."

"But why," she asked. "I'm sure they'd be cool with it. And you know that I do have a feeling about these things." She tapped the side of her head with her pointer finger.

I laughed. "Ah yes, how could I forget? But I guess I just figured that since I haven't known them for terribly long, I couldn't be sure of their reaction." I scooted over to put my arm around her. "You're like my sister, Alice. I know you so well. And I knew you'd be fine with Edward. The fact that you're just a tad bit crazy might have something to do with it," I joked.

Thankfully, she took my joke well and laughed, too. "Alright, I guess I understand. But you will tell them soon, right?" She looked at Edward and me, a hopeful expression on her face.

"Oh, absolutely," I said. "We certainly can't hide you forever, Edward." I took his hand. "Nor would we want to."

He smiled at me and leaned in to whisper in my ear. "You tell them whenever you're ready, Bella. I don't want you to feel forced. It doesn't matter if it takes you two months or two years…"

"Edward, I'm telling them soon. No one's forcing me to do anything. And besides, I want to show you off. You're just too amazing to be kept hidden away." I got up off my chair, walked behind where he was sitting, and put my arms around his neck.

He laughed. "Do you see why I love this woman, Alice? She's absolutely perfect," he said, reaching his hand up to caress my cheek.

"Well, she's not _that_ perfect, you know," said Alice. "I could tell you some funny stories about our Forks days that would have you questioning that previous statement…"

"ALICE!" I looked back and forth between her and Edward. They looked like they would burst out laughing. "If you talk about any of my embarrassing moments, I swear to god I won't introduce you to Jasper."

For the teensiest second, I saw a hint of fear in her eyes. Then her expression became normal again. "You wouldn't dare!"

"You're right, Alice. I wouldn't dare because unlike you, I'm actually nice."

Suddenly, she began laughing. "Bella, I'm joking! I would never tell anyone that you hit yourself in the head with your own badminton racket during gym class. Oops, I guess I just did," she said wickedly.

At this, Edward laughed so hard that if he were human, he probably would have passed out. I buried my head in my hands, my face as red as a tomato.

"Oh, Bella." Alice stood up and gave me a hug. "We both love you. We won't judge the fact that you're a major klutz. It's what makes you, you."

I rolled my eyes. "Gee, thanks Alice. I feel so much better."

"Bella, it is true you know," Edward said. "Your lack of coordination may not feel like a very convenient trait, but it's who you are. And I would never want you to change. I love all of you: your beauty, your intelligence, and yes, your klutziness," he said with a smile, making me blush. Edward stood up, came over to where I was standing, and gave me a hug, too. But unlike Alice, he kept his arms around me. "I love that as well," he whispered, kissing my still red cheeks.

I heard a sniffle and turned to see tears running down Alice's face. "Oh you guys," she blubbered, "I'm so happy for you." She walked over to the counter to grab a tissue, then came back over to where we stood. "And you will still introduce me to Jasper, won't you?"

I laughed. "Yes, I will. I told you—I'll give them a call tonight. Meanwhile, I should probably start on some dinner. Charlie will be home soon."

"Does he know about…" she trailed off.

"No, Alice, and we've decided that he won't find out at any point in the foreseeable future. So I beg of you, do not tell him." Something on my face must have convinced her because for once, she didn't ask any questions.

"Sure, Bella. Not a problem. So when Charlie gets home, Edward just…"

"Disappears for a little while until Charlie goes to sleep."

Alice's face fell into a frown, but she nodded. "This kind of sucks, though. I wish Charlie could meet you, Edward. You truly are amazing."

He smiled. "Yeah, I know."

Alice and I laughed. "But if this is what you two think is right, then I'll honor that," she said.

I squeezed her hand. "Thank you, Alice."

"Yes, Alice—thank you," Edward said fervently.

"Hey, I do what I can, you know? Besides, there are other extremely important issues to deal with."

"What are you talking about," I asked.

"Well, we have to decide what I'm going to wear when I meet Jasper."

"Oh Alice…" I shook my head and chuckled.

After dinner, I called Rosalie and Jasper and asked if they'd like to meet Alice. As I expected, they were very interested in doing so. In fact, their parents were going to be out of town this weekend, so Rosalie suggested that Alice and I sleep over Friday night. She said that we could watch movies, play Guitar Hero, eat lots of ice cream and candy, and more. She also told me that Emmett would be hanging out there as well, so we'd get to meet him, too. This was going to be fun…except for the fact that I couldn't hang out with Edward.

"It's sad, you know," I said as I got into bed. I'd already said goodnight to Alice downstairs and was now in my room with Edward.

"I know, love, and I'll miss you a lot. But I do want you to have fun with your friends," he explained as he climbed onto the bed beside me.

"I appreciate that, Edward. I just wish there was some way for you to come with us." A sudden idea popped into my head. "But wait—you can make yourself invisible, right?"

"Yes, I can. Why do you ask?"

"Well, you could always come with Alice and me but just be invisible."

"He looked slightly taken aback. "Oh, Bella, I'd feel like I was intruding. This is supposed to be friend time, not Edward time," he said with a smile. "I've probably been hogging you, so I think just friend time might be good."

"But why can't it be friend time _and_ Edward time," I asked. "And no, you haven't been hogging me. Even if you were, I wouldn't care. I just love you too much." To prove my point, I leaned over and kissed him passionately.

After I pulled away from him, he laughed. "Well, alright. If you really want me to come along, then I will."

I snuggled closer to him. "So it's settled, then. Tomorrow, you're coming to the Hale's with me and Alice. It'll be quite the soiree: movies, candy, games…"

"Hmm, that actually sounds very interesting. You know, I've never seen a film before. I've always wanted to."

"Really? They're a lot different nowadays. They have sound…and they're in color!"

"Wow! Well I suppose you were right about what you said before. I guess I do need to 'get with it'," he joked, placing a trail of kisses across my jaw.

I chuckled, contented. "I'm so happy you'll be there, Edward. It wouldn't be the same without you."

"Well, I know that my evening wouldn't be the same without you, either." He began to stroke my hair, causing me to become completely relaxed. I yawned and my eyes fluttered shut.

"Goodnight my love," he whispered in my ear. "Sweet dreams…"

The next day, the three of us just decided to be lazy. We simply lounged around and enjoyed each other's company. And of course, Alice talked about Jasper almost nonstop.

"Geez, Alice—give it a rest," I said as I packed my overnight bag. "He may not even like you." She stopped packing and looked up at me, her eyes narrowing. I quickly checked my words and tried to redeem myself. "Then of course, he might. It's definitely possible."

"Of course it's possible, Bella. I mean, how could he resist this?" She gestured to herself, and I had to admit, she did look good. She was wearing a strapless pink sundress with peep-toed pumps. "And, well, I just have a really good feeling about Jasper."

I laughed. "Oh boy, did you have another of your supposed visions?"

"Wow, I can't believe that after all this time, you're still not completely convinced," she huffed. "Hell, I'm the one who warned you that you might injure yourself in gym with that stupid racket. But did you listen to me and be more careful? NO!"

"Alice, I'm klutzy anyways. I don't need you to tell me that. An accident like that was bound to happen," I stated.

"Well, tonight you'll have your proof. I'm very confident that he'll fall under my little spell." She cackled wickedly and rubbed her hands together.

"Huh, that confident are you?"

"Yep, so confident that I'm bringing along a few party favors." She reached into her bag and pulled out two boxes of condoms and a bottle of KY.

My face got red immediately and I gasped. "Christ, Alice! Don't you think you're moving a little fast? You don't even know the guy and you're already prepared to have sex with him."

She shot me a patronizing look. "Bella, you only live once. When you want something, just go for it!"

I sighed. "When did you get that stuff anyways?"

"When you were showering and getting dressed this morning." She smiled at me. "You're extremely lucky to have a drugstore a few blocks away. It makes secret missions like this very easy to accomplish." She picked up the two boxes of condoms and walked closer to me. "So which type do you think I should bring: glow-in-the-dark or flavored?"

I choked back a laugh. "Well, you seem very to be very adventurous tonight. Why not just try both?"

"You're totally right, Bella!" She grinned, tossed the boxes back into her bag, and zipped it up. "Alright, I'm packed and ready to go. How about you?"

"Yeah, I'm all set." I slung my bag over my shoulder. "Now let's go get Edward."

I had filled Alice in on the plan while we were packing, and as I expected, she was thrilled that he was coming along—visible or not. When we got downstairs, we saw that Edward was waiting for us by the front door.

"Hey Alice," he said with a smile. Then he walked towards me and gathered me into his arms. "And hello, beautiful." He leaned in and pressed his lips to mine.

"Hey now, you two!" _Damn Alice and her impatience._

Edward pulled away from me and sighed. "I'm simply taking advantage of the time we have now to show Bella just how much I love her—while she can still see me," he said with a laugh.

I tried to smile. "Well, I hate to say it, but you should probably, um…"

He cupped my cheek soothingly with his hand. "Disappear now?" He chuckled. "It's alright, Bella. I understand."

"I wish you didn't have to though, Edward."

"Well, imagine what the neighbors would think if they saw you talking to me—a mysterious man wearing out-of-date-clothing who also just happens to glow."

We all laughed. "Yeah, Bella—they wouldn't think you were crazy at all," Alice said sarcastically.

Edward hugged me closer to himself. "But really, Bella—don't beat yourself up about this. Just remember that I'll be there. You may not be able to see me, but still."

I sighed. "Ok, let's get going."

Edward and I shared another kiss and when I opened my eyes, he was gone.

"Whoa, that was so cool, Edward," said Alice, practically bursting with excitement.

I heard an invisible chuckle. "Well, I'm happy that you think so."

I rolled my eyes and opened the door. Who knew that something like that could be deemed so exciting? Then again, we were talking about Alice.

It seemed like only seconds later that we arrived at the Hale's house. I knocked on the door and not a moment later, a man answered it. When I looked up at him, I gasped and moved a step backwards. This man was well over six feet tall and very muscular. He seemed very imposing. But then I remembered that Emmett was supposed to be here, too. This must be him.

"Um, are you Emmett," I asked shakily.

"Yeah, who's asking," he responded gruffly.

I gulped. "I'm Bella Swan and this is Alice Cullen. We're here for Rosalie and Jasper. We're supposed to sleep over tonight."

His face remained hard. "Huh, really?" He stepped towards us, his eyebrow raised. Then before I could even register what had happened, he picked me up and spun me in a circle.

I shrieked. "Emmett, put me down!"

He laughed a loud, booming laugh. "It's great to finally meet you, Bella! I was just messing with you before."

I smile, relieved. "It's nice to meet you too, Emmett!" I turned to Alice. "Alice, this is Emmett, Rosalie's fiancé."

"Hmm, I see that I've been a topic of conversation," Emmett said, a cocky tone to his voice. "Well, I can't say I'm surprised. What can I say? People just can't get enough of me."

Alice snorted. "Looks like somebody needs a piece of humble pie!"

Emmett laughed loudly again, picked Alice up, and spun her around—exactly like what he did with me. "It's great to meet you as well, Alice! But I've got to say, I'm not in the mood for humble pie. Apple, on the other hand, might be pretty tasty right about now."

I heard a laugh come from behind Emmett. "God, Emmett, could you be a _bigger_ cheese ball?"

He looked behind him and smiled. "Oh hey, Rose! Why? Are regular balls not working for you anymore," he joked, winking at us.

We all laughed, except for Rosalie, whose face became extremely red.

"Um, okay. Where was I before Emmett behaved so rudely?" She shot him a death glare. "Right, you must be Alice. It's nice to meet you."

Alice, always the enthusiastic one, gave Rosalie a big hug. "It's wonderful to meet you! I'm so excited for tonight. And oh, Bella tells me you have a brother?"

_Way to be subtle, Alice._ Rosalie glanced at me quickly and I rolled my eyes. Comprehension dawned on her face and she laughed. "Yeah, unfortunately. His name's…"

"Jasper—yeah, I know," Alice said confidently.

Emmett snickered. "Say, Rose, you got any earplugs?"

She raised an eyebrow. "I'm not sure, why?"

"I don't know. I just have a feeling that we'll need them tonight."

Alice snorted. "Oh, you're going to need a lot more than earplugs to shut us out!"

"Whoa, looks like we've got ourselves a feisty one," Emmett said with a laugh.

Rosalie looked curiously at Alice. "What makes you so sure about Jasper? I mean, you don't even know the guy."

"Hmm, I guess I just have a way of knowing things will work out." She looked at everyone and smiled. _Oh if only they knew._

We laughed. "Ok, Alice. If you think you can hit it off with him, more power to you," Rosalie said. "Plus, I've had to deal with that loser for almost eighteen years. It's time someone else had to put up with him," she joked.

"Where is Jasper, anyway," I asked.

"He's in the back watching TV."

Alice pretty much bulldozed us out of the way. "Look out," she shouted, running inside.

The three of us (well, four if you counted Edward) were left standing on the front porch. We glanced at each other, amused expressions on our faces.

Rosalie looked at me. "How did all this develop?"

"Oh, she saw that picture that we took at Navy Pier. That was all it took to get her obsessed."

"Do you think that Jasper will fall for _her_," she asked.

I chuckled. "Well, Alice usually gets what she wants. I imagine that this will go her way, too."

Emmett laughed and made a noise that sounded like a whip cracking. Rosalie promptly smacked his shoulder. "Alright cowboy, let's get you inside. Bella, c'mon—make yourself at home."

As she and Emmett began to walk inside, I looked back and forth behind me—which was quite pointless. It's not like I could see Edward. But suddenly, I felt a gentle pressure squeeze my hand.

"I'm here, don't worry," he whispered.

I smiled and walked into the foyer, pausing to hold the door open briefly for Edward.

He laughed quietly. "Why thank you, m'lady. Though seeing as how I am a ghost, and I can walk through walls, that wasn't really necessary."

I blushed. "Sorry," I muttered.

"No, don't be. I was actually flattered. It made me feel like less of a shadow and more of a human."

"Well to me, you are human."

I felt a slight pressure around my waist, so I could only guess that he had wrapped his arm around me. "Thank you, Bella," he whispered into my ear.

Just then, Rosalie came running up to me. "Oh my god, Bella—you have to come see this!"

She tugged on my arm and let me to the back of the house where the family room was. Emmett was already there, standing just outside the door peeking in. He saw us, lifted a finger to his lips to warn us to be quiet, and pointed into the room. Standing in the center were Alice and Jasper. They were doing nothing except staring at each other.

"What happened," I whispered.

Rosalie giggled. "I don't know. I got back here just as Alice walked in. Jasper saw her and got this weird look on his face like he was in awe of her or something. He got up, they introduced themselves, and they've been that way ever since."

I looked and saw that Emmett was holding a bowl of popcorn. He was practically shoveling the popcorn into his mouth. "Man, the evening news is more exciting than this shit! They haven't moved for five minutes."

As if on cue, Alice brought her hand up to caress Jasper's cheek. He held her hand in place on his face and closed his eyes serenely. Though we were quite a distance from them, I very plainly heard Alice whisper, "I've been waiting quite a while for you."

Jasper smiled widely. "Well, I'm sorry to have kept you waiting." He immediately pulled her into a tight embrace. I was fairly certain that I was watching a love-at-first-sight moment in action. To experience it yourself is extremely powerful, but I'd say that it's almost as powerful when you witness it happening to people you know.

We waited a moment, then Emmett cleared his throat. Jasper and Alice's heads snapped up and they look in our direction. They both looked slightly embarrassed at having been caught—which was odd for Alice because she never gets embarrassed.

"Well, looky what we've got here," Emmett smirked. "But be warned, Jasper—this one bites!"

Jasper got a mischievous look on his face. "What if I want her to?" He looked at Alice, who had a triumphant grin on her face.

We all laughed then Rosalie brought me forward into the room. "Hey Jasper, look who's here."

He walked toward me, still holding Alice's hand, and gave me a one-armed hug. "It's great to see you, Bella! And don't worry, I'll try not to get sick this time."

I smiled. "Hey, Jasper! No, I'm not worried about you getting sick." I glanced at Alice. "That one there might be small, but boy can she eat. She'll probably just hog everything anyways!" Alice shot me a nasty look. "Hey, it's true."

"Also, Bella, I want to thank you for bringing Alice over here. I can't imagine what would've happened if I hadn't met her," Jasper said.

"Well, my bet would've been on you playing for the other team," Emmett joked.

Jasper sighed. "Em, how many times have we had this discussion? And how many times have I told you that I'm not gay?"

"Well, hey man—I'm just saying. Sure, I see that now. But all those years and no girlfriend—that definitely made me suspicious."

Alice looked at Jasper in surprise. "No girlfriend? Really?"

He blushed. "Uh, yeah—but not because I didn't want one. The right girl just hadn't come along—until now, of course." _A definite 'aww' moment I'd say._

"Well, I guess we'll just have to get you caught up, then," Alice said, winking at him. Jasper's eyes nearly popped out of his skull.

Emmett and Rosalie laughed loudly. I just rolled my eyes. _Oh, Alice…_

"So anyways, what movie should we start with," Rosalie asked.

"Ooh, 'Mean Girls'," Emmett shouted. We all looked at him questioningly. "What? It's hilarious. And…I can do a perfect Rachel McAdams!"

"He actually can," Rosalie agreed with a laugh. "He also knows the choreography from their rendition of 'Jingle Bell Rock'."

"Mostly because those outfits are so hot, you can't help but watch it lots of times," he joked. Rosalie narrowed her eyes at him. He laughed nervously and corrected himself. "Hey, Babe—I was kidding. You'd look much hotter in one of those outfits than they do."

She paused for a moment. "Yeah, you're probably right. I would, wouldn't I?"

Emmett gave her a hug and a kiss. "Hell, yes! You're way more awesome than those other girls. They're just a bunch of…um…"

"Fugly sluts," Rosalie finished. We all laughed. "Hey, I thought it seemed appropriate," she said.

Alice began bouncing up and down. "Well, what are we waiting for? Time's a wasting! We've got us a movie to watch!" We all sat down in the family room while Emmett and Rosalie grabbed some snacks. As soon as they came back, we got ourselves settled and started the movie.

Though the movie was fun, it was a little hard to watch because Alice and Jasper were close by on the couch. Alice must not have wanted to watch the movie that much—she was straddling Jasper's lap, shoving her tongue down his throat like there was no tomorrow. And with Emmett imitating almost every line in the movie, it made things a little distracting. My mind began to wander and suddenly, all I could think of was Edward. I could tell that he'd been holding my hand during the movie, but I missed seeing him. I wanted more.

"Um, hey Rose, where's your bathroom," I asked.

"Oh, it's right next to the kitchen."

"Thanks. Right next to the kitchen then," I said slightly louder, hoping Edward got the hint.

Rosalie raised an eyebrow at me. "Oh, just making sure I remember where it is." She nodded and went back to watching the movie. _Whew, I wasn't sure that would work._

I made my way to the bathroom. Once inside, I whispered, "Edward?"

Thankfully, he was there. "What is it, Bella?"

"I wanted to see you, talk to you."

"You want to see me? Wouldn't that be risky while we're here?"

I smiled. "What's life without a little risk?"

He chuckled. "Alright. Brace yourself," he joked. Seconds later, he was standing in front of me. "Now, was there any specific reason why you wanted to see me, love?" He walked forward and put his arms around me. It was obvious that he knew what I wanted.

I bit my lip and nodded, my excitement making it impossible to speak. Without any hesitation, I crashed my lips to his and he eagerly responded, clutching me to him even tighter. He was just beginning to kiss his way down my neck when I heard a gasp and a loud crash right outside the bathroom door…which was still open. In my eagerness to see Edward, I had forgotten to close it. I turned to see who was outside and the blood drained from my face. Rosalie's face was contorted in fright, the bowl of popcorn lying on the floor. We had been caught.

**I'm back! God, this has been such a hellish week. I just took a monster history test today, and I'm so glad it's over! So…what are your thoughts on the chapter? Did you like Emmett? I love him! He kind of reminds me of myself…very nice, and kind of cheesy sometimes…LOL. I decided to name the chapter "At First Sight" because not only is Alice and Jasper's relationship blooming, but also, Rosalie finds out about Edward…a little ambiguity there :-) My English teachers would be proud! Oh speaking of Rosalie, she did not get suspicious of Bella and go to spy on her. She just was heading to the kitchen to get some more popcorn. So she's not evil like that in case anyone was wondering! But she will be a little harsh in the next chapter about the Edward thing—I decided to add a little bit of typical pigheaded Rosalie into it! LOL, but don't worry, she'll come around. Anyways, I'll hopefully be able to update next Thursday. Please read and review :-)**


	12. Explanations, Emotions, and Handcuffs?

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters. They all belong to the amazingly talented Stephenie Meyer.

_**Chapter 12: Explanations, Emotions…and Handcuffs? **_

The three of us stared at each other for an unfathomable amount of time. If someone asked me to describe what I was feeling at the moment, I couldn't sum it up. Thousands of emotions were floating through my head: fear, shock, disappointment, uncertainty… I could go on forever. I was incredibly frightened of what might happen if I spoke, but I knew that I had to explain myself.

"Rose," I said cautiously, "Rose, it's alright." But she didn't look alright. She looked as though she was on the verge of either screaming or passing out.

I tried again. "Rose, please don't be afraid. He's not dangerous at all."

For some reason, this broke her out of her funk. "_He_," she said incredulously. "That is not a '_he_' Bella! That is, well, I'd say more like an '_it_'."

I inhaled sharply in anger, glancing at Edward to gauge his reaction. He looked absolutely crushed. When a person hurts my feelings, that's bad enough. But when they hurt the feelings of someone I love, they're crossing the line. I put my arms around Edward and gave him what I hoped was a comforting smile. He wouldn't even look at me.

I turned to face Rosalie and tried to be as calm as possible. "Rose, c'mon. At least let me explain before you pass any judgments."

Suddenly, I heard someone approaching. "Rose, Babe—is everything ok," Emmett called. "I thought I heard a noise." Oh god, I was hoping to introduce Edward to everyone separately, but it looked like that just wasn't going to happen.

Emmett stopped in front of the door and glanced at Edward quickly. "Hey man, how's it going?" He turned back to Rosalie, then suddenly did a double take, nearly breaking his neck in the process. "What the…"

I swallowed hard. "Ok, Emmett—just let me explain. This is Edward." I looked at Edward. He was staring at me, a look of uncertainty on his face. I smiled nervously and nodded. To my relief, his eyes brightened a bit. "Now, he's not exactly what some people may be accustomed to. But I don't care. I love him and I want to be with him. And I'd like you guys to respect my decision."

Emmett raised an eyebrow. "So what _is _he exactly? No offense, dude," he said, nodding at Edward.

"Well, he's a ghost."

Surprisingly, Emmett began laughing. "So that explains the clothing choice, man. Alright, I get it now." At this, Edward looked slightly hurt. Emmett seemed to realize that his words may have had the wrong effect. "Oh, sorry Edward. I guess I'm not used to the whole vest and trouser combo. It ain't my thing. But hey, it's cool. It works for you."

Thankfully, Edward smiled widely. "Well, unfortunately, it's the only outfit I'm stuck with. I can't exactly change it. But I would if I could. I know I must look pretty out-of-place."

I cupped Edward's cheek with my hand and looked up at him. "Well I think you look great. Though I am pretty biased."

Emmett chuckled. "So you guys are official, then?"

"Yep, most definitely," I said confidently.

"Hold on a minute," Rosalie interrupted. "Emmett, you're actually ok with this? It doesn't creep you out?"

Emmett put his arms around her. "Babe, you're forgetting that I'm in training to become a police officer. I've seen much weirder. Besides, if Bella likes him, then he's ok in my book." Rosalie rolled her eyes and looked away. "Rose, c'mon. She's your friend." She still looked slightly doubtful. "Hey Babe, don't make me start singing!"

I looked at Edward and he seemed just as puzzled as me. "Um, Emmett, what are you talking about?"

Rosalie broke in. "Ugh, he has the worst singing voice ever."

"Hey, no I don't," Emmett said defensively.

"Anyways, he'll start singing when he thinks he's not getting his way, and I end up giving in because…"

"Because you love me?"

"No, because your singing sucks and I want you to shut up," she retorted.

Emmett laughed. "Hmm, I think 'I Want It That Way' might be a nice choice for today."

"Emmett, don't you dare!" But there was no stopping him. He wriggled out of Rosalie's grasp, marched forward dramatically, then suddenly turned around and struck a pose.

_You are my fire_

_The one desire…_

Oh my god—Rosalie was not exaggerating. He was probably one of the worst singers I've ever heard. He was severely tone deaf and _way_ too loud. So not only did we get to hear him butcher the song, but I'm sure the whole world did as well. I put my hands over my ears and looked at Edward. He was laughing hysterically.

"Damn it, Emmett—shut up now," cried Rosalie.

He stopped. "Will you be nice, then?"

She glanced at Edward and hesitated. That was all it took for Emmett to start again, only this time, he sang using a high-pitched girly voice.

_Tell me why_

_Ain't nothin' but a heartache_

_Tell me why_

_Ain't nothin' but a mistake_

_Tell me why_

_I never wanna hear you say_

_I want it that way_

"Shit, what _is_ that? It sounds like a bear choking." _Oh no—Jasper!_ He rounded the corner, holding Alice's hand. I kind of figured (and hoped) that they'd be too engrossed in their make out session to notice Emmett's singing—therefore, not have to deal with the Edward situation. Then again, who couldn't hear Emmett?

Rosalie snorted. "Pretty close—it was Emmett singing."

"Huh. So what were you being stubborn about this time," Jasper asked knowingly.

Rosalie opened her mouth to speak but Emmett cut her off. "Oh, Bella's new boyfriend," he said, smirking at me. _Oh fuck…_

Jasper turned to look at me questioningly. Then slowly, he shifted his gaze to Edward. He squinted his eyes and tilted his head from side to side, as though he was trying to make sense of what he was seeing. I looked at Alice, who appeared to be excited but curious about how Jasper would react.

"Um, Jasper—are you ok," I asked.

He snapped his head back to me. "Yeah, Bella, I'm fine. And you are," he asked, directing his attention to Edward.

Edward looked like he'd burst with both happiness and shock. "Uh, Edward Masen. It's a pleasure to meet you Jasper."

Jasper held out his hand—I just about died. Did he know what he was getting himself into? "Yeah, man—you too." Edward hesitantly grasped Jasper's hand and shook it quickly. Oddly enough, Jasper didn't seem phased by Edward's handshake.

I was floored. How Jasper could just walk up and be ok with this was beyond me.

Alice began laughing gleefully. "See, I told you everything would be alright, Bella."

Everyone looked at me. _Uh, oh._ "Wait a minute, Alice knew about Edward? How come you told her first and not us," Rosalie asked.

"Yeah, Bella. I'm hurt," Emmett said, pretending to dab his eyes with a tissue.

"Well, I've known Alice forever. And she _is_ staying with me. She'd probably find out anyway even if I didn't tell her," I said with a chuckle. "And I was going to tell you guys eventually, but I just didn't know what might happen. I mean, this isn't the most conventional of situations."

Jasper laughed. "I understand, Bella. So Edward, you're some kind of spirit I assume?"

Edward looked shocked again. "Uh, yeah. You assume correctly. How'd you know?"

"I'm not really sure," Jasper said with a shrug of his shoulders. "I think I've always just had a knack for reading people—figuring them out."

I chuckled under my breath. He and Alice were a perfect match—his readings and her visions. What a wacky pair. But you had to admit, they were cute together. "So what kind of vibes _do_ you get from him, Jasper," Alice asked curiously. I couldn't deny—I was curious, too.

Jasper stared at Edward, who seemed slightly apprehensive. I reached out, linked my arm through Edward's, and gave him a reassuring smile. His answering smile lit up his entire face.

"Well, to start with the obvious, Edward loves Bella dearly," Jasper said, smiling at the two of us. "I've got to give you props for that, man. Bella's a great person."

Edward looked at me adoringly. "It's easy to love Bella. She's everything I could have ever hoped for." I blushed of course.

Jasper continued. "I also get a sense that you're scared—scared of not being accepted."

"Well, sure. It's not every day you all meet someone like me," Edward said.

Alice went up to Edward and gave him a hug. "But that's silly, Edward. You have nothing to worry about. We all think you're awesome."

Emmett chuckled. "With one glaring exception," he said, looking at Rosalie.

"Hey, I didn't say I didn't like him," she spat.

"Then what would you say?"

She sighed and looked at all of us before finally focusing on Edward. "Look Edward, I'm sorry for the way I acted earlier. You seem like a really nice…person, and I'm glad you and Bella found each other. But you have to admit, this is kind of weird. I never thought I'd personally know a ghost. And when I first saw you, I was shocked and scared. But after seeing how…great you appear to be, I'm…I'm going to…" From the sound of it, Rosalie wasn't the smoothest at apologies.

"You're going to what," Emmett encouraged.

"I'm going to give you a chance, Edward. Will you accept my apology?"

Edward had a blank look on his face. "I don't know, Rosalie."

Rosalie's eyes widened. This seemed to crack Edward's façade, because he began laughing. "Of course I accept your apology, and I appreciate what you said."

She exhaled and smiled. "Thank you so much."

We all stood around in a circle, smiling until Emmett broke the silence. "Well, why don't we all go and finish the movie? You know how Rachel doesn't like to be kept waiting!"

Jasper rolled his eyes. "_You_ can finish the movie." He turned towards Alice and smiled. "I'm going to be a bit tied up," he said with a wink. It seemed like Alice was having a bad influence on him.

Alice looked up at him and smiled coyly. "Hmm, I think we can arrange that. Rope or handcuffs?"

He laughed nervously. "Um, Alice—I don't have any rope or handcuffs." I could not believe what I was hearing. Neither could Rosalie. She looked extremely embarrassed. Emmett looked like he was going to laugh, and Edward looked just plain confused.

"Rope and handcuffs—what for," Edward asked.

Emmett laughed loudly. "Edward, man—if you have any experience in _that_ department, I think you could probably guess."

"What department?"

"Oh man," Emmett said, rolling his eyes, "I'll take that as a no." He walked up to Edward and patted him on the back. His eyes widened slightly at the sensation, but he quickly recovered. "There are so many tips I could give you that, if performed correctly, would ensure a very _solid_ physical relationship."

I gasped and glanced at Edward, and from the looks of it, he finally understood what Emmett was alluding to. "Emmett, we, um, can't. I'd like to and so would he, but it's impossible considering the circumstances."

Emmett's face fell. "Damn, seriously? That sucks. I'm curious though, is there anything you guys _can _do?"

I blushed. "Well, just kissing," I said softly.

"Oh, I didn't catch that—what," Emmett teased.

Edward marched towards me, a look of determination in his eyes. "This." Before I could register what had happened, he wrapped his arms around me and pulled me in for a deep kiss. Despite the fact that Emmett whistled and clapped during Edward's impromptu show of affection, I didn't care. Just one touch from Edward was enough to put me on sensory overload.

When Edward pulled away from me, I whimpered at the loss of him. He chuckled and whispered, "We can continue this later, love." _I certainly hoped so._

He raised his head slightly to address the others. "We're just enjoying what we _can_ do. Besides, sex isn't everything."

"Oh I know, but it's definitely _something—_and a pretty awesome something I'd say." Emmett looked at Rosalie and winked.

Her face turned red. "Emmett," she hissed, "We are not discussing this now. It's private!" Suddenly, she got a mischievous look on her face. "But I wouldn't mind _discussing_ it later."

Emmett smiled. "I think we could do that."

I shook my head. "Geez, what is it about the Hale house that makes people horny?"

Everyone laughed. It was then that I realized that Alice and Jasper had disappeared. "Hey, where did Alice and Jasper go?"

"Oh, Thing 1 and Thing 2 went upstairs while Emmett was talking to Edward," said Rosalie. Ah, that explained things. I was too engrossed in the conversation to even notice. "I'll give you one guess as to what they're up to."

_Hmm, it's a good thing Alice came prepared. _I was in the middle of wondering whether Jasper ended up being a glow-in-the-dark or a flavored kind of guy when Emmett interrupted my train of thought.

"Hey, I just remembered—Rose, we _do_ have handcuffs. They're in your room, right?"

"Emmett, shut up," she cried.

My mouth popped open and as much as I tried, I couldn't stop a giggle from escaping.

"Bella, it is SO not funny! And Emmett, why would you bring that up?"

"Babe, I only thought Alice and Jasper might want to use them. I always know that a little zebra print can be counted on to spice things up," Emmett explained.

This time, I laughed out loud, and Edward and Emmett joined me. Rosalie looked livid, but before she could say anything, a loud boom came from upstairs. "Oh god, Jasper," I heard Alice cry out.

The four of us stood frozen, staring at the ceiling—completely aware of what was going on up there.

"Ok, I'm glad those two are together now, but this is really awkward," Rosalie said. "I mean, they have to know how loud they are."

Emmett chuckled. "Well, it seems as though they're doing just fine without those handcuffs. And anyways Rose, we both know that they've got nothing on us."

Rosalie blushed again. "Alright, let's just try to ignore them. Why don't we all go order some pizza?"

"Sounds good, Babe. I'm starving," Emmett said, putting his arm around her.

"Em, you just ate like two bags of popcorn."

"Hey, I'm always hungry—you know that. Besides, I need my strength for later. I've gotta make my girl happy," he said slyly, leading her into the kitchen.

I was left standing with Edward. He looked at me, noticeably calmer now that it was just the two of us. I closed the miniscule distance between us, putting my arms around his neck and giving him a hug. "Are you ok," I asked.

He smiled. "Yes, just a bit overwhelmed. It's been a pretty eventful evening—what with Emmett's dirty jokes, Rosalie's attitude, and the adventures of Alice and Jasper."

I laughed. "Yeah, it has been one jam-packed night. So I'm curious, what do you think of everyone?"

"Oh, they're all wonderful, even Rosalie," he added with a chuckle. "You definitely got lucky."

"Yeah, I guess so," I said, hugging him tighter to myself. My head was swimming with everything that had happened. I was silent for a few seconds, still taking it all in.

Edward put a finder under my chin and I soon found myself getting lost in the depths of his green eyes. "Are _you_ ok, Bella?"

"Oh yeah, just still a little shaken up. Things may not have gone as well as they did. Then what would have happened?" I sighed. "You were right, _we _are very lucky."

"Indeed we are," he replied, running his hand lightly along my arm and leaving a trail of goosebumps in his wake. "Huh, it appears as though I'm having quite an effect on you."

I raised an eyebrow. "Cocky, are we?"

He laughed loudly. "Maybe Emmett's behavior is rubbing off on me."

"God, I hope not!"

Edward smiled crookedly and a devious glint came into his eyes. "Come here," he whispered, leaning towards me. He didn't have to ask twice. I nodded eagerly and met him halfway. For as many times as we kissed, I could never get used to the wonderful feeling of it, nor did I want to. Every time with him was like the first time.

His mouth lingered on mine for a few moments before he slowly pulled away. "I love you, Bella, but as much as I'd like to continue this, we should probably get back to Emmett and Rosalie. We don't want them to think that we pulled an Alice and Jasper on them and disappeared."

I laughed. "You're probably right." I stretched up on the tips of my toes to whisper in his ear. "But as soon as everyone goes to sleep…"

"I'm all yours," he said, finishing my thought. He leaned in to give me a quick kiss then took my hand. "Let's go."

We found Emmett and Rosalie finishing the movie while they waited for the pizza. Of course, Emmett had resumed doing his imitations.

"Made out with a hot dog? Oh my god, that was one time!" He doubled over, laughing.

Rosalie rolled her eyes then looked up at us. "Hey guys, don't mind Emmett."

"What, I thought you liked _hot dogs_. Especially those, uh...foot-longs." Ugh, leave it to Emmett to make an everyday food sound dirty.

"Geez, Emmett, would it kill you to cut the innuendos for just a little while," Rosalie asked.

"C'mon Rose, you know you like it. And hey, it's like my trademark. Being dirty is kind of my thang."

She laughed. "Your _thang_? Well, I guess I can't argue with that."

Emmett smiled and put his arm around her. Then he looked at Edward and me. "So you crazy kids, care to join us?"

"Yeah," we said together, causing us to laugh. He and I sat down on the couch, still holding hands. It was then that I realized that with the exception of Charlie, it was all out in the open. Edward and I had nothing to hide from our friends anymore. It was such a relief. And judging from the big smile Edward gave me, I could tell that he felt the exact same way.

**Hola everyone! I hope you all liked this chapter, though I've got to say, I was having a bit of writer's block. I knew what I wanted to say, but I'm not sure if it came out right. Hopefully it did, though. Hey, how'd you like that bit with Emmett's singing. At the last minute, I thought it'd be a funny thing to add. I could totally picture Emmett just bursting into song and singing something random. And yes, I was (and still sort of am) a Backstreet Boys fan :-) Oh, and when Emmett makes reference to "Rachel", that's Rachel McAdams from _Mean Girls..._just in case anyone was confused. **

**So oh my god, only 5 more days till the Twilight soundtrack comes out! I'm so excited. And I'm also excited that Rob got the New Hollywood Award on Monday! He deserves it—he works so hard and is so great at what he does. And he looked amazing in that suit of his! {drools} Haha. Oh…and guess what I heard? Apparently, Rob wants to cut that beautiful hair of his! WTF! LOL, sorry—random, but c'mon. If he wants to keep his fans happy, he'll leave it. We all love that crazy awesome hair of his, am I right? But I suppose if he has to cut it, it should only be like an inch off, tops. Ok, enough about Rob's hair :-) Read and review please. I'll hopefully be able to update next Thursday. **


	13. Thankful

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters. They all belong to the amazingly talented Stephenie Meyer.

_**Chapter 13: Thankful**_

After the initial drama that evening, everything went very smoothly. Edward seemed very comfortable interacting with the group—well, Emmett and Rosalie. Alice and Jasper were still upstairs, humping like gorillas. No doubt that Alice would fill me in on all the details tomorrow, whether I wanted to hear them or not.

When we finished 'Mean Girls', we decided that it was time for some Guitar Hero. I hadn't played it in a while, so I was very excited. I figured that Edward might want to play, too. He was, as I found out, able to use the piano. So why not this?

"What do you think, Edward," I asked.

"Um, I don't know," he said with uncertainty. "I'm not sure I can."

I sighed. "Edward, I know you can do it." I turned to face the others. "He can play the piano, you know," I said proudly.

"Dude, that's awesome," Emmett exclaimed. "So this should be a snap for you, though I'll probably beat your ass anyways."

Edward chuckled. "Ah, you underestimate my skill, Emmett." He abruptly became serious. "But really, I don't think I could play…at least not normally."

"What are you talking about," Rosalie asked.

"Well, I can't lift things." We all stared at him, dumbfounded. He chuckled humorlessly. "What, no twenty questions?"

I shook my head, confused. "But how can you play the piano?"

He snorted. "Bella, the last time I checked, I didn't have to lift anything in order to play a song."

Rosalie and Emmett laughed, a completely opposite reaction to the blush that was forming in my cheeks. "Sorry," I mumbled.

Suddenly, I felt his arms wind around my waist and pull me into a tight embrace. "I'm so sorry, love. That was out of line. Will you please forgive me?" I sighed and nodded, eager to let his biting words go. "Thank you," he whispered, leaning in to kiss me softly.

Emmett, of course, could always be counted on to ruin the moment. He cleared his throat loudly. "Well, we know you can do _that,_" he said, laughing. "But it wouldn't hurt to at least try this out."

"Yeah, c'mon Edward," Rosalie added. "Please try."

Edward looked at me, his eyebrow raised. I smiled widely. "Go ahead. You can do it." He still seemed slightly apprehensive. "Would it help if I put on a cheerleading outfit and shouted 'go Edward go'," I joked.

Everyone laughed, and Edward finally cracked a grin. "No need. I'll try."

Emmett ran over and picked up one of the guitars, then went to stand in front of Edward. "Ok Edward, do you see the way I'm holding this? I want you to mimic exactly what I'm doing. Now, hold out your hands."

Edward took a deep breath and nodded, prompting Emmett to carefully hand him the guitar. He waited a moment, then let go. Immediately, it crashed to the ground.

Edward looked down, a defeated expression on his face. "See, what did I tell you?"

"Wait a minute," I said, "Why don't I try?" Emmett and Rosalie both began to say something, but I held up my hand to quiet them. "Just let me talk to him."

"Bella," Rosalie began in a haughty tone, "What factor do you have that could possibly make a difference?" Mine, Edward's, and Emmett's heads snapped up and I glared at her.

"Rose…" Emmett cautioned.

"What," she huffed. "I'm trying, alright."

"No, it's ok," I broke in. "I'll tell you what factor works in my favor." I reached out, took Edward's hand, and squeezed it. "Love."

Emmett chuckled and gestured grandly. "Well then, Madame—proceed."

I smiled and picked up the guitar. "Ok, Edward—I need you to look at me." He fixed me with that hypnotizing gaze and I suddenly found it very hard to concentrate. But I had to try and shake that out of my mind. "Edward, I have faith in you. I think this is all in your head, honestly. Perhaps you've closed yourself off because of your past or because you're afraid of the unknown. But Edward, be confident. Believe in yourself…"

I was interrupted by Emmett humming 'Don't Stop Believing' (off-key, of course). "Shut up, Emmett," I growled.

He laughed, and I turned to Edward to continue. "I love you, Edward. I love you with all my heart. Please just try and let go of what's holding you back, concentrate, and go for it. Not only would I love to see you have fun with us, but…" I grinned and walked closer to Edward so I could whisper in his ear. "I also think you'd look totally sexy holding that guitar and playing."

He smiled, looking slightly surprised. "Sexy? Really?"

"Yep," I whispered, kissing his neck.

Edward looked down at me, his eyes sparkling with determination. Very slowly, I offered him the guitar in my hands, and without breaking eye contact with me, he grasped it.

"Are you ready," I asked.

"Hell yes," he said loudly, making Emmett and Rosalie laugh.

I smiled, counted to ten, and tentatively let go.

It didn't fall.

At this point, his face was screwed up in concentration. It looked as though he was giving every effort he had not to drop that guitar. Well, whatever he was doing, it was working.

Without thinking, I let out a shriek of excitement. His eyes snapped open and the guitar fell.

Rosalie snickered. "Nice, Bella."

"But man—good going, Edward," Emmett said, impressed. "You really had it there."

Edward flashed us his beautiful crooked smile. "I can't believe it," he said triumphantly. "I was never able to do anything like that before—at least, not in my current condition." He met my gaze again and cupped my cheek with his hand. "Thank you, Bella."

The two of us stood, lost in that moment for a bit. This, no matter how small, was a breakthrough. Big changes were on the way, I was sure of it.

"So," Emmett began, "Are we gonna play patty cake or play some Guitar Hero?"

Edward laughed. "Oh, I'm more than ready to play. I hope you're prepared to get your ass kicked, Emmett."

I think I liked this new, bolder Edward. It warmed my heart to see him growing more and more confident.

We explained the rules to Edward and he seemed to understand everything. Just to be on the safe side, however, I decided to demonstrate for him with Emmett.

"Alright, Bella—prepare to be schooled!"

"Emmett, this is just a demo. It doesn't count," I stated.

He snorted. "Says the person who's going to lose."

"Well then, I guess you really don't know who you're dealing with."

I had already picked out a song in my head—'When You Were Young,' by The Killers. I loved that song, and was really good at playing it. Before Emmett could protest, I started it up.

"Hey, no fair," he cried.

I cackled wickedly and continued on with my playing. He tried to keep up, but it was no use. I was the one who schooled him!

"Not cool, Bella," he fumed. "I want a rematch!"

Rosalie laughed. "Aw, Em—don't be such a poor sport. Just admit that you lost and get on with it."

"Never," Emmett shouted dramatically.

"No, no—it's alright." I picked up Emmett's guitar and gave it back to him. "I accept your rematch offer. I'd be happy to beat you again!"

Emmett smiled. "Oh, it's on!" A speculative look crossed his face. "Hey, how about we do a tournament? After Bella and I play, Rose—you and Edward can play. Then, the winners of those games will play each other."

I looked at Edward, who appeared very excited. "That sounds good," he said.

"Psh, you won't be so happy after you've been beaten to a pulp," Rosalie spat.

Edward laughed loudly. "Two words—you wish."

"Alright, alright," I broke in. "How about you two go first?"

Edward whipped his head around. "Are you sure, Bella?"

"Why_ Eddie_? Afraid of being beaten by a girl," Rosalie snarled.

"Not at all _Rosie_. Bring it!"

Rosalie went over to Emmett and got the guitar from him. Edward came over to me and did the same, carefully handling it before taking the full weight. I stretched up on the tips of my toes to whisper in his ear. "I'm so proud of you," I said. "Now, you go show her who's boss!"

He chuckled softly. "Yes, ma'am," he replied, kissing the hollow beneath my right ear.

I sighed, contented, feeling very at peace…that is, until Rosalie began tapping her foot. "Remember, we'll continue this later," I reminded him.

He smiled crookedly, then went to join Rosalie in front of the TV. "Alright, Rosalie—you pick the song."

"Hmm…" She paced deliberately back and forth. "Something you don't know…oh wait, that won't be a problem anyways, now will it?"

Emmett chuckled. I just rolled my eyes. She just had to go there, didn't she?

"I know!" Rosalie grinned wickedly. "How about a little 'Iron Man'?"

Edward raised an eyebrow. "'Iron Man'?"

"Yes, it's by Black Sabbath. It's a total classic."

"Black Sabbath," Edward asked, sounding somewhat horrified. We all looked at him—I, concerned, and Rosalie and Emmett, amused. This seemed to snap him out of it. He cleared his throat. "No, no—it's no problem. The name, it's just, uh…different."

Rosalie snickered. "Ok, Edward—let's do this," she said. "3, 2, 1, GO!"

I couldn't watch. I really wanted to see Edward in action (looking sexy, of course), but I just couldn't. What if this ended badly for him? He had never played before, and here he was going up against an expert. I desperately wanted him to feel human—he practically was to me anyways. A loss would make him feel awful. I covered my eyes and just concentrated on the music. Minutes later, I heard an angry growl. _Uh, oh_. I tentatively raised my head, and couldn't believe what I was seeing. Emmett, for once, looked speechless. Edward was wearing a huge grin. Rosalie looked like she was going to hit something. Before I could ask what had happened, I heard the growl again. It was Rosalie.

"You," she shouted, pointing a shaking finger at Edward.

"C'mon, Rosalie—don't be such a poor sport. Just admit that you lost and get on with it," he replied, using her own words against her.

Her face turned bright red and she stalked out of the room.

Emmett laughed. "Edward, that was amazing, man! How did you do it? Rosalie is—well, was—unbeatable."

"He's just good at everything," I interrupted, walking towards Edward in a daze.

Emmett could probably guess that I wanted a moment alone with Edward. He cleared his throat awkwardly. "Hey, uh, I'm gonna go check on Rose. Don't do anything I wouldn't do," he added, chuckling.

After he left, Edward let out a whoop, pretty much threw the guitar aside, and gathered me into his arms. "Alone at last! Although I think the proper sentiment should have been 'don't do anything I _would_ do'."

I laughed. "Good point," I said, wrapping my arms around his neck. "You amaze me, you know that?"

"Really? Why?"

"Look at how confident you've become. You seem so at peace with everything now."

He smiled widely. "I'm trying, Bella. I'm just doing what you suggested—being happy with what I do have. Now that you're in my life, that makes it a lot more worth living." Placing a finger under my chin, he leaned down and kissed me, joy radiating from every part of him. _I love this man._

After a few moments, Edward pulled away from me, letting me breathe. But his lips never left my skin. Very softly, he kissed my eyelids and my cheeks. "I love you so much, Bella. I'm so grateful for everything you've given me."

My eyes welled up with tears. "Well, I'm equally grateful for everything you've given _me_." I was about to kiss him again when I heard a sniffle from the doorway. I turned to see Rosalie and Emmett—yes, Emmett—both crying. It was obvious that they were eavesdropping on us.

I couldn't help it—I began to laugh. "Emmett, what the hell?" Edward looked in the direction of my gaze and started to laugh, too.

"What," Emmett squeaked, his eyes bloodshot. "Real men cry, ok? This is totally normal."

Rosalie snorted, despite the tears running down her face. "Yeah, you just keep telling yourself that."

Emmett rubbed the tears out of his eyes and immediately looked mischievously at her. "Babe, are you questioning my _manhood_?"

For a second, I thought I actually saw a hint of nervousness in her eyes. "No, I would never," she said, her tone dripping with faux reverence.

"Hmm, perhaps you need a reminder of just how _manly_ I am." Without warning, he picked up Rosalie caveman style and carried her upstairs. She shrieked and laughed the whole time.

I turned slowly to look at Edward. "Ok…well I guess there'll be no rematch with Emmett tonight. Looks like he's got more than enough to keep him busy."

Edward smiled. "So it seems." He put his arms around me again. "Well, now that we know for sure that it's just us, what would you like to do?"

"Hmm…what to do," I teased. "Such a dilemma." I scrunched up my face as though I was deep in thought. _Aw, screw the games_. "Wanna make out?"

"I thought you'd never ask," he said, laughing at my bluntness. Before I could get another word in, I found myself pressed up against him, his lips devouring mine hungrily. I was slowly running out of breath, but I didn't care. If this guy was the cause of my passing out, I'd do it over and over. God, I was such a masochist…

****

"Bella? Bella?" The voice seemed close, yet far away as well.

"Uhnn," I groaned.

"Oh, thank god," I heard the person mutter.

I groggily reached my hand up and felt around blindly for the source of that beautiful voice. Immediately, a gentle pressure surrounded my hand and a sense of safety filled me up. There was only one person it could be.

_Edward._

"Edward, is that you?" _And why am I lying on the floor?_

"Yes, sweetheart. I was worried about you."

I tried to sit up. "What happened?"

He chuckled darkly. "Well, we were in the middle of very sensuously making out, and I'm fairly certain you forgot to breathe. All of a sudden, you fainted."

"Oh, geez." I shook my head and looked up into Edward's concerned eyes. "Please tell me that no one else knows about this. I'd never hear the end of it."

"Not to worry, love," he said, amusement crossing his face. "Everyone's, uh…still upstairs."

I smiled. "Figures. But hey, my fainting does prove one thing."

"And what's that?"

"You take my breath away," I said matter-of-factly.

He laughed loudly. "Well, it seems as though your fainting spell hasn't affected your sense of humor."

I joined in with his laughter. "So," I began, standing up carefully, "Would you be interested in picking up where we left off?" To show him what I meant, I ran my hand slowly up and down his chest.

"Ah, Bella," he sighed, gently removing my hand from his chest and holding it. "I would love to, but I'd hate to be responsible for making you pass out again." A small smirk flitted across his face, but was almost immediately replaced by his beautiful smile. "But really, love—you've had a very long and busy day. It's late. You should sleep."

I sighed dramatically. "Fine," I replied, stomping over to the family room couch. I laid down and covered myself with the blanket, even pulling it over my head so Edward couldn't see my face. Moments later, I felt the other end of the couch shift. He must've sat down.

"Oh, Edward," I said softly.

"What is it, love," he asked, a tentative sound to his voice.

I whipped the blanket off of my face. "I love you," I said, grinning hugely.

His expression of confusion and caution changed to one of happiness, and he returned the smile. "I love you, too, Bella. Sleep well…"

****

I awoke the next morning to the smell of bacon and eggs coming from the kitchen. Damn, did that smell good!

"Man, I'm hungry," I mumbled, yawning.

I heard a soft chuckle. "I figured you were. Your stomach was growling even before you woke up."

"Huh, what do you know," I replied, smiling. "Good morning, Edward."

"Good morning, beautiful." He walked over, kissed my forehead, and inhaled deeply. "God, you smell so good."

"I do?"

"Yeah. It's like this mixture of strawberries and freesia—very mouthwatering."

I sighed. "Mouthwatering, huh," I said, thinking about the breakfast cooking in the other room.

He laughed. "C'mon, let's get you some food."

"Ok, but do you want to wait here? Truthfully, I'd just rather have breakfast with you alone. I can grab myself a plate and be back in less than two minutes."

"Sure, Bella," he said excitedly. "Hurry back."

As I was walking into the kitchen, I rubbed my eyes and yawned. I was just so tired. Edward was right. Yesterday _was_ a busy day for me.

"Well hey, baby. That was fast."

_What?_

I took my hands off of my face and my eyes bugged at the sight in front of me. Standing at the stove with his back to me, completely naked except for an apron, was Jasper. In that same moment, he turned around.

We both stared at each other for a moment in horror. Suddenly, he started screaming…and so did I. This was just plain creepy. And for the record, Jasper screams like a girl.

"Damn it, Bella—I thought you were Alice," he cried.

"Well, obviously I'm not! What the hell are you doing?"

He blushed, but before he could get a word out, both Edward and Alice came running into the kitchen. Alice, as it turned out, was dressed alike to Jasper. When Edward saw the two of them, he seemed to jump about a foot into the air. However, Alice had a very different reaction, and began to laugh.

I pretty much blew up. "How is this funny, Alice? I can't believe you! And you, too, Jasper. I mean, didn't you guys think that you'd get caught?"

"Well, you were asleep, Bella. And Edward, you were preoccupied with her. So no, we didn't," Jasper said. "Anyways, it was Alice's idea."

I pinched the bridge of my nose between my thumb and forefinger. "I should have known," I mumbled. "Alice, I did not come here expecting to see my friends' bare asses. That is not my idea of a sleepover!" Suddenly, the ridiculousness of the moment came crashing down on me and I started laughing.

The others looked at me like I was crazy. "Bella, what is it," Edward asked.

"Oh you guys, this is just so _stupid_," I choked out. "Cooking breakfast naked—there's something you don't see every day!"

"Well, we weren't fully naked. There were aprons involved. Remember that," Alice added.

"That doesn't matter, Alice!" I shook my head. "Now you guys go change into something decent…before I lose my sanity."

Everyone else joined in with my laughter. "Alright, Bella," said Jasper. But unfortunately, as they started to exit the kitchen, they bumped into Emmett and Rosalie.

Immediately, as I expected, Emmett began laughing. "Hot damn! Why didn't anyone tell me we were having an orgy?" He began taking off his t-shirt.

"NO," we all shouted, causing him to pause.

"What? No one wants to see my abs? I work hard to get them in such awesome shape. That hurts, you guys," Emmett joked.

Rosalie laughed. "Don't worry, hun. You'll have plenty more opportunities to take off your shirt. Besides, this doesn't look like an orgy to me," she said, eyeing Alice and Jasper knowingly.

Jasper blushed, while Alice looked just plain smug. "We just decided to spice up our morning a bit," said Alice.

Rosalie had an expression of both amusement and revulsion on her face. "Huh, I guess so."

"Wait a minute," Emmett said, bolting out of the kitchen. We all stared at each other, confused. But not a moment later, he was back, holding a cell phone. He flipped it open and started snapping pictures. "Ok guys, strike a pose. C'mon—work it, WORK IT!" Of course, Alice ate up the attention, giving the camera various dramatic glances. Japer tried to run out of the room, but Emmett grabbed him and pushed him back towards Alice. "Not so fast, bud. You're not leaving 'till I get a shot of you!"

Jasper shook his head adamantly, making Rosalie snicker. "Jasper, you should probably do what Emmett tells you. You'll never get out of here, otherwise!"

He let out a long sigh, put his arms around Alice, and smiled for the camera. If this wasn't a very awkward situation, that pose would have been incredibly sweet.

Emmett chuckled and snapped his phone shut. "Great job, guys! And I know just what to do with these. Do you know if America's Next Top Model is taking submissions for next season?"

Jasper frowned. "Dude, that show's for women only."

"Exactly," Emmett replied.

That was all it took for Jasper to charge at him. Of course, Emmett was faster, and a game of chase ensued. The four of us that were left in the kitchen burst out laughing. What a strange morning it had been…

****

We spent the rest of the afternoon at the Hale's house. But when early evening rolled around, Edward, Alice, and I left. I still couldn't believe everything that had occurred overnight. What ever happened to just having a _normal_ sleepover? Of course, I knew that we'd be seeing even more of Jasper, Rosalie, and Emmett—what with Alice's new connections. I was so happy for her. But most of all, I was happy for Edward. He'd come such a long way, growing into a more self-assured individual. Obviously, since the secret was out, he must feel a lot freer. I know I would.

"So, Bella," Alice said when we arrived back at my house, "It was quite a night, huh?" Oh boy, I knew where she was going with this.

"Um, yeah—it sure was."

She opened her mouth to speak, but I cut her off. "No, I refuse to listen to the recap of your sexcapades. I heard enough last night, anyways."

"Well, we just couldn't contain ourselves," said Alice, a smug grin spreading across her face.

I sighed and rolled my eyes. But just then, a thought popped into my head. "I am curious though: did you guys end up taking a liking to either of the…"

She laughed. "Oh yeah, both were great! But if I had to choose…I'd have to go with the flavored ones. After last night, I know I'll never think about midnight _buffets_ the same way again."

Ugh, neither would I.

**HAHA—'midnight buffets'. I crack myself up! What did you guys think of the chapter? All I've gotta say is GO EDWARD! He was rockin' that Guitar Hero. **

**Ok, so I'm kind of anal, but I feel like I have to explain myself. I was thinking about how Edward can't lift things, but when he plays the piano, he has to take that cover off. I figure he just kind of pushes if up and then flicks it down when he's done. LOL. I'm such a nit-pick, but I felt like I needed to discuss that…in case anyone noticed that.**

**So…Twilight Soundtrack—thoughts? I have to say, I love Rob's song. It's beautiful, soulful, and calming…but I can't for the life of me understand what he's singing. I mean, I understand most of it, but there's just some lines that I can't pick up on. Has anyone figured it out, yet? If so, will you share your theories with me? As Rob would say, "I'd rather hear **_**your**_** theories." LOL…that was too good to resist.**

**So, I will hopefully update next Thursday. And I have great news. The next chapter is in EDWARD'S POINT OF VIEW! You know what that means: big changes are on the horizon! It's time to get excited…**

**Read and review please :-)**


	14. The Reason

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters. They all belong to the amazingly talented Stephenie Meyer.

_**Chapter 14: The Reason**_

**EPOV**

I was a lucky man.

Well, sort of.

I was a loose definition of the word 'man', I'll admit. Surely having a body that glowed couldn't be construed as normal. I couldn't sleep and couldn't eat.

Not being able to make love with my girlfriend wasn't exactly super, either.

Alright, now I was sounding like the only thing I wanted from her was sex.

_Oh shut up, Edward!_

I attempted to quiet the voice in my head, and instead, concentrated on the beautiful woman lying next to me.

My Bella.

I was constantly thinking about how my life would have been so different had she not moved to Chicago, and tonight was no exception.

No doubt I would be existing and going through life only because I had to, because I was forced to.

Now, I was going through life because I wanted to. She made everything colorful, more beautiful. She inspired my actions and my thoughts.

And I loved her for it.

I never imagined that I would ever feel this way about anyone. But she came along and changed all that. I would be forever grateful to her.

And for some strange reason, she felt the same way about me. She loved me for who I was. She didn't care that I couldn't give her much at all. The only thing that she cared about was being with me for as long as possible.

Still, it absolutely baffled me how she wanted to spend her time with me. There were so many other guys that she could choose from, that were actually alive.

I had to be doing something right, then.

I felt her stirring beside me. "I love you, Edward. Forever and ever and ever…" She turned over—facing me—and fell silent. At this, I had to chuckle. She was not a quiet sleeper, always talking and moving around. And from what it sounded like, I was the star of her dreams again.

I couldn't be happier.

"Words cannot describe how much I'm in love with you, Bella," I whispered, being careful not to wake her. Despite my hushed tone, a smile appeared on her face.

I _was_ a lucky man. How could I not be?

I had just resumed gazing at her when suddenly, I saw a faint flash out of the corner of my eye. I turned to look at what it could have been. There didn't seem to be anything that could have caused that flash. The room was completely dark. But at that moment, I saw it again. It came from directly outside the window, and this time, it was brighter.

I got up slowly, walked over to the window, and peered outside. Nothing.

Worry was starting to creep into my mind. What if it was someone trying to break in? I couldn't call for help without Charlie finding out about me. Then again, if I didn't call for help, I'd be putting Bella and her family's lives at risk.

Either way, I was done for.

I shook my head sadly, feeling defeated. Before I could decide what to do, however, something behind me lit up the entire room. I whirled around, and what I saw terrified me. A figure dressed in white was leaning over the bed, watching Bella. Their back was to me, so I couldn't see what they looked like. But it was obvious that this was no human. It was also obvious that this was a woman, for she had long, chestnut-colored hair.

_I swear to god, if she hurts Bella…_

"She's lovely, Edward," the woman said quietly.

Wait a minute, I knew that voice. And it belonged to someone who I hadn't spoken to in about ninety years.

My mother.

She turned around and smiled widely at me. "Hello, sweetheart."

I froze, my eyes never leaving my mother's face. "Mother, is that really you?"

She chuckled softly. "Yes, it's really me. Now come give me a hug! It's been too long."

I ran forward and wrapped my arms around her tightly, almost knocking her over in the process. If I was able to cry, I would have at that moment. I had missed her so much, gone too many years wondering whether or not I would see her again. Now here she was after all this time, looking as though not one day had passed.

My arms shook as dry sobs racked my body. "Have you any idea how much I've missed you? How much not being reunited with you has tormented me?"

She rubbed soothing circles on my back. "Shh, Edward, love—it's alright. I'm here now. That's all that matters."

"But mom, why weren't you here before? Why now? And while we're at it," I said, stepping away from her, suddenly angry, "Why am I still here? Can you provide some insight into that?"

To my surprise, she began laughing. "Ah, Edward—I see that the fiery side in you hasn't gone away. I guess some things never change."

I clenched my jaw. "You're trying to distract me, aren't you?"

"Guilty," she said with a smile.

"The point," I prompted, sighing.

"Well, I thought it would have been obvious."

I frowned. "What are you talking about?"

"You wanted to know why you were meant to stay in this house." She smiled and glanced at the bed. "Your answer is lying right there."

Bella.

My mouth popped open as I stared at the woman I loved, and the realization sank in. "You mean…"

"Yes, sweetheart. You know how everyone always says that there's one special person out there who was meant for you, and only you? Well, Bella is that special person. You were supposed to stay here and wait for her. Though it took a little while…"

I snorted. "You call ninety years 'a little while'?"

"Edward, let me finish. You know, I'm still your mother and you still have to listen to me," she said, fighting back a laugh.

"Alright, I'm sorry. You were saying?"

She smiled and continued. "Well, just that it took _quite_ a while, but you two finally found each other. And I think that what you both have is absolutely beautiful. The two of you share an unbreakable bond. And as a mother, it just fills me with joy to see her child happy and so in love."

I was still so shocked by the conversation that just occurred that I didn't even notice Bella's voice. It was my mother's quiet laugh that broke me out of my trance. She tiptoed silently over to the bed and gently sat down. "And from the sound of it, Bella cares for you quite a bit, too."

"Huh? Oh, right. Well, she talks in her sleep pretty often," I said, smiling widely.

"Does she dream about you a lot," she asked knowingly.

I looked at my mom proudly. "Yeah. So what did she say? I was mentally punishing myself for not figuring everything out earlier. I mean, now that I think about it, the answer was so obvious," I admitted sheepishly.

"Not a problem, sweetheart." She reached out and patted the empty space on the bed next to her. I sat down. "Bella, in her exact words, 'would rather die than stay away from you'."

I let out a sigh. "Well, that's just super."

"What? I thought that would make you happy."

"Don't get me wrong, I'm glad she wants to stay with me. But mom, I'd rather that she not die in order to do so. I want her to live out her life, whether that life and that future includes me or not."

"Edward, I couldn't imagine her not wanting a future with you," my mom said earnestly.

"Oh for the love of god…" I stopped and tried to proceed more calmly. "Mom, haven't you noticed that I can't age? It's pretty much impossible for us to stay together. So right now, we're just enjoying what we can and taking everything one day at a time."

While I was speaking, I noticed that my mom began to smile. "Um, did I miss something," I asked.

"Edward, what if I told you that you _could_ stay with Bella, and be with her in every way possible?"

My eyes widened. "I'd say great, let's go for it. Why?"

"Well, I didn't just come here to chat. I've come to give you something," she said.

"Give me something?"

"Yes, a gift of sorts…"

I sighed, frustrated. "Mother, would you please cut to the chase? What is this gift you're giving me?"

She looked at me intensely. "One week."

"One week?"

"Yes, one week as a human. I've watched you suffer for far too long. Now that you've found someone, I want you to experience this love as you should have in the first place: alive," she explained.

My head was spinning. One week.

_One week!_

"So, are there any kinds of rules that I need to follow," I asked curiously.

She chuckled. "No rules, sweetheart. You're free to do whatever you'd like."

_Yes!_

One week to spend with Bella, being able to love her fully and completely.

"When does my time start?"

"At midnight tonight. And your time ends at midnight in one week. So," she looked at the clock on the bedside table, "In seven minutes, your week begins."

One week.

_One week?_

"Wait a minute, mom. So, what happens at the end of the week? I just go back to the way I am now?" I began to pace, frustrated. "That's not exactly fair, you know. You can't just give me a week and then take it away again. I've waited forever for this woman and I get only seven days? I mean, there has to be a way for me to stay human. If there is, you have to tell me! Please?"

I was on my knees now, begging. And I'll admit, I felt incredibly stupid doing so. But at a moment as crucial as this, I had to do whatever I could. I mean, we were talking about my one, true love. Think about it. If you were given time to spend with your soul mate and then find out that they would be taken away from you, what would you do? Would you concede or would you fight?

My mom turned to face me. "Well, there is a way, actually—now that you mention it," she said mysteriously.

I jumped up eagerly. "And? What is it?"

"Well, you'll just have to solve the puzzle on your own." I opened my mouth to speak, but she cut me off. "Edward, you're a smart young man. I'm very optimistic that you'll figure it out."

"But," I began, but my emotions got the better of me and I choked up. I tried taking a deep breath to calm down. It helped a little. "Mom, I'm afraid that I won't be able to."

She walked over to me and put her arm around my shoulder. "Sweetheart, I can't hold your hand forever. I wish I could, but you're not a little boy anymore. This is something you've got to take on by yourself."

I figured that this was as far as I would get, so I nodded.

"Good," she said. She looked at the clock again. "Well, it looks like we're down to one minute. So I hate to say it, but it's time for me to go."

"No," I whispered, burying my face in my hands. "I don't want you to leave." I felt like a child being taken to school for the first time, sad to leave the safety of their mother's arms. And right now, I couldn't stand to see her go.

She enveloped me in a tight hug. "Well, I'm sure you know that I don't want to leave you. But this is between you and Bella. It's _your_ time." She took a small step backwards and kissed my forehead.

I tried to conjure up a smile, but it was very difficult. "Mom, please say that I'll see you again soon. I couldn't bear going another ninety years without seeing your face."

She chuckled softly. "Don't worry, you haven't seen the last of me." She turned and began to walk back towards the window. "Oh, Edward? Don't forget to have fun this week, too."

This time, my smile was genuine. "I won't. And mom?"

"Yes?"

"I love you."

She smiled sweetly. "I love you, too, sweetheart. So very much." With that, she turned, walked three steps towards the window, and disappeared.

Within seconds after she left, I began to feel a strange sensation—as though I was being pulled towards the ground. I tried to look around to see what was going on, but my ears started ringing and the whole room felt as though it was spinning. It wasn't a very pleasant feeling.

But the way I saw things, it was a small price to pay for what I was getting in return.

The last image I held onto before the blackness consumed me was of Bella, sleeping peacefully—completely oblivious to what had just happened.

Well, she'd find out soon enough.

**Wow. What an interesting chapter, wouldn't you say? I tried to make it as non-cheesy as possible. Though with a chapter like this, it's kind of impossible to not be cheesy! I hope you liked it, though. Next chapter will go back to BPOV. But not to worry—there will be more chapters from Edward's point of view later in the story! I'll let you know when those are coming up. By the way, I named this chapter after that song by Hoobastank. I'm not really a Hoobastank fan, but the title seemed like it would fit. **

**I'm so excited that Edward is human now. I think this'll make things totally awesome. I mean, of course it was fun to write about him as a ghost. But now, this is where the real fun begins! Next chapter will be a bit of a filler—everyone just figuring out what to do with Edward now that he's human. But the chapter after the next one…I can't wait for! And I think (hope) you all will be pleased with the way it turns out. I know that this is the moment a lot of you have been waiting for…I definitely have :-)**

**Hey people…we're 8 days away from the movie of the century! I will be updating next Thursday—the day before, or a few hours before some of you lucky people go to the midnight premiere! I, unfortunately, can't go see it until next Sunday—two days after it comes out. Ugh…two whole days. Friday and Saturday, I'll be completely booked, which sucks. But oh well, at least I'll still get to see it.**

**You all know what to do...read and review please!**


	15. Our Time Now

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters. They all belong to the amazingly talented Stephenie Meyer.

_**Chapter 15: Our Time Now**_

Something was different.

I could sense it as soon as I opened my eyes. The air was charged with energy and the sun was shining brightly through the windows, almost blindingly so. I tried to sit up and get a better look at my room, but I couldn't move.

My body was being held in place by something.

I reached up awkwardly to push off this thing that was draped over my waist. _Strange_. It felt like someone's arm. Unconsciously, I began stroking it gently; it was just so irresistibly soft that I couldn't help it.

Suddenly, the person's breathing hitched and they shifted slightly, moving their arm off of me. Oddly, the loss of their arm from my waist was saddening. I had felt very safe, even though I couldn't really move. Despite this, I sat up and looked at the sleeping figure next to me.

I nearly jumped out of my skin when I saw who it was.

Edward.

Though it was clearly not the Edward I knew. This Edward was…alive. He still had on his turn-of-the-century clothes and his ghostly glow was gone, but if it was possible, he looked even more radiant than before. His cheeks were slightly flushed, brightening up his entire face. And the corners of his mouth were upturned slightly. I had the sudden urge to lightly trace his lips with my thumb.

When my fingers touched his lips, I inhaled sharply. They were so wonderfully silky and smooth. Letting my hand trail upwards, I brushed away the stray hair that was hanging in his face. I had been itching to touch his artfully tousled hair ever since I first met him. And it felt better than I could have ever imagined.

I had no idea what was going on, but I didn't care.

At that moment, his eyes fluttered open and I gasped in surprise, my hand still frozen over his forehead. He rolled onto his back and met my gaze with an expression of similar surprise. We stayed like this for several moments, not daring to move and never breaking eye contact.

He was the one who spoke first. "Bella?"

"Yes?" I was slightly embarrassed by the fact that my voice shook when I replied. I had nothing to be nervous about. This was only Edward, after all—just not the Edward I was used to seeing. I cleared my throat. "What's going on?"

Edward looked at me, a mixture of caution and disbelief crossing his face. "Something big is happening, Bella. I still can't believe that it's true…"

"What's true? What are you talking about?"

"I had a visitor last night," he said. "Someone I've wanted to see for decades."

"Who," I asked curiously.

He took a deep breath. "My mother."

My stomach dropped. "Oh my god. Are you serious? That's crazy! Here? In this room?"

"Whoa, hold on there," he said, laughing. "Yes, she was here in this room."

"How the hell did I miss this?"

He laughed again. "You were sleeping, love. It all happened rather quickly."

"I want to meet her," I mumbled.

"Well, hopefully one day, you will," Edward said, wrapping his arms around me. I sighed happily. "Is this ok, Bella," he asked.

"Mmm, Edward—it feels wonderful. _You_ feel wonderful," I replied, tucking my head under his chin and closing my eyes. _God, did he ever! _"So, how did this happen?"

He began lightly running his hand up and down my arm, tracing patterns absentmindedly as he went. "Well, my mom just kind of appeared and said that she came to give me a gift."

"A gift?"

"One week as a human. To be with you," he said, sighing.

My eyes welled up with tears. "That's wonderful, Edward. I can't believe it! But why do you look disappointed?" I reached up to brush my fingers beneath his downcast eyes.

"It's only a week, Bella! It's not fair. Why give me this time only to take it away in seven days? I want to spend forever with you," he said, taking my hand and lightly kissing my knuckles.

I shivered in delight at his touch, but managed to stay focused on the issue at hand. "I want to spend forever with you, too. So much. I can only imagine how you must feel," I said sadly.

"But there's more," he began. "My mom said that I could stay human…"

"Yes! That's great!" I jumped off the bed and started dancing around the room.

"No, Bella," Edward said sternly. My mood was quickly deflated and I sat back down. "I can only stay human if I figure out how."

"What? She didn't give you some kind of riddle to piece together?"

He huffed loudly. "No. She just said that if I figured things out, I could stay human. If I didn't, well, at the end of the week…"

"No," I whispered. "You're right, this _isn't_ fair. Not for you_ or _for me." I took a deep breath and met his gaze. "But we can do this, Edward. We can solve it—together."

A small smile played across his lips. "Ok. And even if we can't…"

I covered his mouth with my hand. "We will," I said, determined.

He laughed. "Even so, Miss Bella—I hope you're prepared."

"Prepared for what?"

"Prepared to have the best week of your life." He stepped forward and cupped my cheek with his hand. "Why don't I give you a preview?"

"Well, I'm always up for a preview," I said, giggling excitedly.

"Good." He lowered his head and very gently pressed his lips to mine.

Ok, you know how I said that kissing him before was absolutely wonderful and that I was content with the way everything was? Who was I kidding? This was so much better!

I moaned at the feeling of his lips—so soft, so amazing. Suddenly, he moved his hand to the back of my neck and I felt his tongue graze my bottom lip.

Was I going to deny this guy anything? I think not.

I opened my mouth and gladly granted him access. I could feel him smiling as he slowly eased his tongue inside and deepened the kiss.

Oh. My. God. He was going to be the death of me.

I moaned again. The sensation of his tongue exploring my mouth was so overwhelming that I almost couldn't take it. But I knew that I wanted to explore him, too. Very carefully, I brought my tongue forward and into his mouth. He retreated a bit and let me have my turn. I took my time, running my tongue along every surface in his mouth possible. Never had I tasted anything so magnificent.

I had to pull away for air, and to my amusement, he groaned in disappointment. But I wasn't finished with him yet. I raised a trembling hand up to the top button of his shirt and began to unbutton it.

Unfortunately, he must not have had the same idea.

He grabbed my hand to stop me and shook his head. This time, _I _was the one to groan in disappointment.

Edward laughed. "Ah, Bella—not yet."

"Ugh, you're such a tease," I complained. "Way to lead a girl on."

"Love, you know that I want you, too. But there are certain steps to be taken beforehand," he explained.

"Like what?"

"Well, protection for starters. You don't think I left the Hale's house without taking some pointers away from the experience, did you?"

I chuckled. "I guess not. And I guess you're right."

"Of course I'm right," he said, a cocky tone to his voice. But then, his expression softened. "Plus, I'd at least like to take you out on a date first."

I suppose I did see his point. And a night on the town with Edward was sure to be one I'd never forget.

"Alright," I said, kissing him softly. "So, we should probably go let Alice know about everything. You know she'll be interested."

Suddenly, the door banged open. I was so startled that I almost had a heart attack. Of course, standing in the doorway was Alice.

"Alice already knows everything, thank you very much," she said brightly. Striding forward, she gave Edward a big hug. "Edward, I'm so excited for this! Oh, it's going to be so great. And don't worry, I can help you guys figure out everything, because Edward, you're staying human. There's no question about it!"

"Alice, what the hell? How did you find out," I asked.

She grinned smugly. "I had this dream last night about you becoming human, Edward. And since my visions are never wrong, I camped outside your room, Bella—to see what might happen."

_Pesky little pixie._

Edward raised his eyebrows. "So, this morning, you heard…"

"All of it, so there's no need to explain anything to me. But I definitely think your other friends should know about everything," she said, sounding a little too excited.

"Bullshit, Alice! You just want to see Jasper again," I accused.

She and Edward laughed. "Oh, Bella—despite what you may believe, I truly do think you should tell your friends," she responded. "And Jazzy, well…alright fine! I want to see him, too."

I looked at Edward. His shoulders were shaking with silent laughter. I choked back a laugh. "Jazzy?"

"What, you don't like it? I think it suits him." This just made us laugh even harder. "Hey, you two aren't the only ones who are allowed to be cute," she spat.

Edward, always the gentleman, tried to stop laughing and cleared his throat. "Yes, you're right, Alice. We're sorry."

"Yeah, Alice—sorry," I said, attempting to keep my hysterics under wraps.

"That's more like it! Now," she said, taking my hands, "We have to talk about what you guys are going to do this week."

"Oh, Alice—we can just figure out what we're going to do on our own," Edward said. But seeing the look on her face, he quickly corrected himself. "On the other hand, we could definitely use your input."

"Why of course you do! What would you do without me?"

I rolled my eyes. "Oh, I simply wouldn't be able to function. You are my light in all the darkness," I proclaimed sarcastically, laughing. "Anyways, what'd you have in mind?"

"Well, you guys could check out the view from the top of the Sears Tower, or go see a play. And obviously, you'd finally get to meet Bella's dad, Edward, now that you're here to stay…"

"Um, Alice—as much as I'd like that, I don't think it's a good idea. We still don't know for sure what's going to happen," I interrupted.

Edward nodded in agreement. "Bella's right, Alice. Before we go introducing me to her father, we should at least be certain that I'm staying human."

"But I've seen it," she protested, tapping the side of her head. "I just know…"

"Alice, no," I said firmly. We can't take any chances."

"Fine," she huffed. "Well then, if Edward can't meet Charlie, he can't very well stay here. Charlie would find out for sure. I mean, I distracted him this morning so he wouldn't check on you, but I can't keep doing that."

"Distracted him," I asked.

"Yeah, just kept talking and talking. Then he shook his head and walked away."

I laughed. "Yeah, that sounds about right."

"But really, Bella. I do think Edward needs to stay someplace else. Just to be safe," she explained.

I met Edward's gaze and we stared sadly at each other for a moment. "I don't want you to leave." I quickly looked at Alice. "I don't want him to leave."

"I know, but you said we can't take any chances."

She was right.

"I guess you're right, Alice." I turned to Edward and wrapped my arms around him. "But I'm not giving up nights! Edward, you can come here at night and sneak in my window. I'll leave it open. Just come at about 11:00—after Charlie goes to bed. I'm a pretty light sleeper, so when he wakes up in the morning, I'll get you up and then you can go. Now, we need to see about a ladder…"

He laughed. "No need. You're forgetting about the tree just outside the window. In my day, I was quite the tree climbing expert!"

I gulped. "Uh, ok. Be careful, though."

"No worries, love," he replied, giving me a sweet kiss.

Alice began jumping up and down and clapping. "I like this idea, you guys. And don't forget that you two can go out during the day. We can just tell Charlie that you've been hanging out with me, the Hales, or Emmett—which might be true sometimes if we do a group thing."

"Yeah, Edward—you could probably come back each day at lunch or something. That would be ok," I said. "Does all this sound good to you?"

"Of course," he replied. "I want to spend every minute I can with you, and I'll take whatever I can get. But I can understand the need to keep things on the down low. We've got to stay safe." He reached up and brushed a lock of hair behind my ear.

Alice and I chuckled. "The 'down low'," I asked. "You sound like Emmett."

"Speaking of which," Alice began, "I think it's time to get them over here. We've got to find you a place to stay, Edward."

"Yeah, Edward. Maybe _Jazzy_ can help you out," I joked as I picked up the phone, sending all of us into fits of laughter.

****

I invited Emmett, Jasper, and Rosalie over later that day to talk things over. Thankfully, they all seemed happy with Edward's change. Emmett smacked him on the back and voiced his enthusiasm about all the _fun_ things he and I could do now.

I had to admit that I was looking forward to those things, too.

Jasper, of course, was very calm about it all. And Rosalie could always be counted on to add a bit of stubbornness to the mix. But she ended up making good on her promise to give the situation a chance.

I explained the central issue to them—that Edward only had a limited time as a human. And since we couldn't be certain whether or not he'd be able to stay human, we couldn't risk introducing him to Charlie. Luckily, they totally understood, and agreed that Edward probably shouldn't be staying at my house. Charlie would definitely notice that something was up.

"So, you guys—would anyone be willing to let Edward stay with you," I asked.

"He CAN'T stay at our house," Rosalie immediately said, earning her glares from all of us. "What? He truly can't. Our mom works out of our home, so she's there all the time."

Jasper looked defeated. "Fuck, I forgot about that." He patted Edward's shoulder. "Man, you know I'd help you if I could."

Edward nodded. "I know. Thanks Jasper."

Alice leaned her head against Jasper's chest. "That's my Jazzy," she said proudly.

I rolled my eyes. "Any other ideas?"

"Well, hey," Emmett said, "You can just stay with me! It's only me in my apartment—well, except for when Rose spends the night…"

"Emmett! Please," she cried.

He laughed. "But Edward, if you spend your nights with Bella, then there's no risk of you walkin' in on anything _scandalous_."

The way he said 'scandalous' made it sound like the scariest word ever, and we all laughed.

"Alright, Emmett—thanks. You've got a deal," Edward said, shaking his hand.

"No probs, bro. This is gonna be awesome!"

Just then, the phone rang and I excused myself to answer it. It was Charlie.

"Hey Bells!"

"Hey dad. What's up?"

"Nothing much. Hey, listen—I've got something to run by you."

"Sure."

"Well, I got a call from Billy Black. He invited me out to visit for a few days. And as it turns out, the Seattle Mariners are playing this week. So, he thought it'd be fun to take in a game, too," Charlie explained.

"So…"

"So, I'd be leaving tomorrow morning for a few days."

Oh my god. He could not have timed this more perfectly. If he went on this trip, it would mean that Edward _could_, indeed, stay with me for a little while!

"Um, dad—that's fine by me," I said, shaking with excitement. Suddenly, I felt two arms wrap around my waist from behind. _Edward_. I leaned back against his shoulder and sighed happily.

"You'll be ok on your own for a little while," Charlie asked.

"Of course, dad. I'll be just fine. And don't forget, Alice will be here, too. So I won't be completely alone." Just then, Edward began peppering my neck with feather-light kisses, making me giggle.

Unfortunately, Charlie must've heard me. "What's going on there, Bells?"

"Huh? Oh, sorry dad. TV." I quickly looked at Edward and motioned for him to stop. He just looked at me and laughed silently.

"It's alright. Anyways, I've got to get going. I just thought I'd give you a call and ask. I'll see you tonight, Bells," Charlie said.

"Bye, dad. See you later."

I hung up the phone and squealed, throwing myself into Edward's arms. He swung me around a few times, laughing. "What's got you so happy," he asked.

"Hold on," I replied, taking his hand and leading him back to where the group was. "I want to let everyone know at the same time."

When we walked into the living room, I got everyone's attention and signaled for them to be quiet. "You guys, I have some huge news!"

"You two had a quickie in the kitchen," Emmett guessed.

I rolled my eyes. "No, Emmett. Sorry to disappoint you. Actually, I just got off the phone with Charlie."

Everyone's mouths fell open. "Well, speak of the devil… What did he want," asked Alice.

"He's going out of town for three days," I shouted happily.

We all screamed and started jumping up and down. Childish? Yes, but who cares?

"That's awesome! When does he leave," Rosalie asked.

"Tomorrow morning. So for those three days, Edward can stay here. But tonight, since Charlie will be here, he should probably stay with Emmett. Then just come back later in the evening, like we talked about," I said, squeezing Edward's hand.

"Wait a minute," Alice said, motioning everyone towards her. I began walking over to her, but she stopped me. "Not you, Bella."

Confused, I hung back. What the hell was going on?

After a few moments, their little huddle broke apart, and everyone was smiling at me. Alice stepped forward. "Bella, I'm afraid we're going to have to borrow Edward for a little while."

"What? Why," I asked, frustrated.

"We've got a lot of planning to do," Alice said cryptically.

"Planning for what?"

"For tomorrow evening," Emmett added excitedly.

I sighed. "What's tomorrow evening?"

Edward walked over to me, took my hands, and kissed them. "Our first official date, love."

**Woohoo…it's full steam ahead everyone. Next chapter, as you can probably guess, is the big one! It's their big date, and the much anticipated lemon! Hmm, I wonder what Alice and the gang are planning to surprise Bella with. LOL—I know, but I'm not going to tell you :-) But their date is going to be so magical, and then some! **

**So what did you all think of this chapter? I know that it's somewhat of a filler chapter, but it was necessary. I hope you all enjoyed it, nonetheless. I named the title of the chapter after that song by the Plain White T's. I love them {sigh}. And the title seemed appropriate.**

**Twilight is here folks! Well, for those of you lucky enough to go to the midnight show and see it on opening day, I hope you have an awesome time! Let me know about all the craziness :-) **

**Read and review please! I will try and update next Thursday.**


	16. Someone Like You, Part 1

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters. They all belong to the amazingly talented Stephenie Meyer.

_**Chapter 16: Someone Like You (Part 1)**_

I hated surprises.

Alice knew this and yet, she still felt compelled to plan the "Date of the Century"—and not even warn me about what to expect.

Worse yet, she dragged my friends into her evil scheming. For the entire day, they had been burning up the phone lines, calling all these different places to try and set things up for tonight. And all the while, they just smiled and nodded, being completely vague if I tried to ask questions.

And what kind of friends would they be if they didn't rope the love of my life into all this as well? I hadn't seen Edward since yesterday. When I tried to get answers, Rosalie would only tell me that he had been hanging with Emmett, who was giving him, uh, _pointers_ for tonight.

It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what part of the date Emmett was giving him pointers for.

I had to admit—though I was excited as hell, I was also terribly nervous. But that was normal, right? I mean, what if I did something wrong? What if he didn't enjoy himself?

And what if _I _didn't enjoy myself?

But deep down, I knew that was impossible. Of course I would enjoy myself.

I would be with Edward, after all.

That was the thought I tried to hold onto as I was going through my own personal round of torture, ahem, or should I say having Rosalie contort my hair into whatever style she was creating. I had no idea what she was doing, but I was too afraid to look, so I kept my eyes closed.

At the moment, Alice was out getting my dress. When I heard about this, I knew I was done for. She was probably going to bring home some hideously overpriced, overly extravagant thing that would be something _she _would wear, not me. Ugh. I cringed just thinking about it.

"Hellooo ladies," I heard a voice call out.

Well, what do you know—it was Alice.

"Hey, hun. Did you get everything," Rosalie asked.

I heard Alice walk into the bathroom. "Why yes, I did. And I got Edward his suit, too. He looked so great when he tried it on…"

My eyes popped open. "Wait, he went shopping with you?"

Alice giggled. "Yup, and you're going to die when you see him! But that's all I'm gonna say."

"Um, Alice—does he know what I'm wearing?"

"Nope, I had him wait by the entrance while I picked it out. I told him I wanted it to be a surprise. So when he picks you up, he'll be seeing it for the first time," she explained.

Well, it was good to know that I wasn't the only one in for a surprise tonight.

"Alright, Bella," said Rosalie, spritzing my hair with hairspray, "You are good to go. Go ahead and take a look."

I slowly turned to look at my reflection, and was floored. My hair actually looked pretty. It was fixed in soft curls, which cascaded gently over my shoulders. Understated, yet elegant. How Rosalie got my hair to look like that was beyond me. Whenever I tried to curl my hair, it got all frizzy and poodle-like. But this…I loved it.

I sighed happily. "It's wonderful! Thank you Rose."

She beamed. "You're welcome. You're gonna blow him away tonight, and we're only talking about your hair!"

"Well then, let's get going on the makeup," Alice said excitedly. _Hoo boy…_

Thankfully, only fifteen minutes later, I was done. And I was pleasantly surprised by what I saw. They had put a light layer of shimmery black eye shadow on the outer corners of my eyelids, fading into the inner corners where they had put silver eye shadow. A soft pink was dusted on my cheeks, complete with a clear gloss on my lips.

"Wow, Bella—you look…hot," Alice said, looking into the mirror with me.

Rosalie nodded her head. "Heck yes, Bella! Now, are we ready for the final touch?"

Oh god—the dress.

I exhaled sharply. "Um, sure. Let's go check it out."

They led me to my room and Rosalie picked up the garment bag. She started to unzip it, but Alice stopped her.

"No, no! Before you see your dress, Bella, you need to put on something for me." She handed me a small bag, grinning mischievously.

I opened it apprehensively and narrowed my eyes, suspicious at what I saw. It was a dark blue, strapless lace bra and matching panties. "And I'm supposed to wear these because…"

Alice and Rosalie giggled. "Well, it's for Edward, really," Alice said. "He specifically requested something like this."

"But why would…" I trailed off as it hit me. So this was what Edward wanted to ask Alice about. I remembered that he said he liked the color blue on me, and that when Alice went out shopping for me, that he wanted to put in his two cents. But lingerie?

"Well, it seems as though Edward's been fantasizing quite a bit about you," Rosalie said. "And the lingerie will definitely make him happy!"

Very odd, considering he usually came off to be the perfect gentleman. Then again, he was a guy. And guys do usually have these kinds of thoughts…

Aw hell, I'd do it for Edward. "Alright, let's go for it," I said, trying to sound confident.

"Yes," Alice and Rosalie hissed quietly.

After I put on the bra and panties, Rosalie slowly opened the garment bag and Alice stood in front of it. "And now, Bella, here it is! The dress that will knock Edward's socks off…or his pants—whatever comes first. The dress that you'll be wearing on the night you lose the big v-card…"

"Geez, _enough_ Alice! Show me the damn dress," I shouted.

She got a pouty look on her face, but nodded and stepped aside.

No. No way.

That dress was something I might actually consider wearing. But at the same time, I didn't feel worthy enough to wear it. It was too beautiful. The dress was knee-length and dark blue. It was also strapless, and every inch was covered with sequins and sparkles. A dark blue ribbon was wrapped around the waist and tied in a bow, giving the dress a more fitted look.

I actually started tearing up. "You guys, thank you. It's gorgeous."

They came over and hugged me. "You're welcome, sweetheart," Alice said. "But no crying! You'll ruin your makeup."

I laughed and began putting on the dress, being very careful as I zipped it up. When I was finished, Rosalie handed me my shoes. They were black peep-toed heels, complete with a rhinestone design on the toe.

"Here you go, Bella. I though a nice peep-toe would work well with this dress," she said.

"Um, I don't know, Rose. I don't have the greatest luck when it comes to walking in heels."

"Well, I figured that since Edward is probably never going to leave your side all night, that you'd be fine wearing them," Rosalie joked.

"She's got a point," Alice added. "If you stumble, he'll be right there to help you."

I laughed again. "Whatever, just hand 'em over."

I put on the shoes and looked at my reflection in the full-length mirror. It didn't even look like me. But I liked what I saw. I just hope Edward liked what _he_ saw.

Alice gasped. "Wow, Bella." This was one of the rare times she actually had little to say. But she quickly recovered and turned to Rosalie. "We did good, huh?"

Rosalie chuckled. "I'll say! But we need to get downstairs. Edward will be here in fifteen minutes."

My stomach did a minor flip-flop at her words. Typical first date nerves, probably. But this was no ordinary first date. This was much bigger.

****

"Bella, don't worry! You'll have so much fun," Alice said. She was staying the night at the Hale's to give Edward and me some _privacy_ after the date. According to her, Rosalie and Jasper's parents thought I was sick, which is why I wasn't coming over, too. Like Charlie, we weren't quite ready to tell the two of them about Edward.

"I hope so, Alice."

"Alright, well, I should probably get going." She picked up her duffel and gave me a hug. "My Bella's growing up so fast," she squealed.

I snorted. "Go on, get out of here," I said jokingly. "You don't want to keep Jasper waiting."

Alice squealed again and ran to the door, but before she opened it, she reached into her bag and tossed me a box. _Condoms, lovely_.

She winked at me. "Hey, no glove no love."

I rolled my eyes and waved to her as she walked out the door. As quickly as possible, I ran upstairs and put the box on my nightstand. Then I went back down and stood in front of the stairs stupidly, not quite knowing what to do. I decided to just sit in a chair by the front hallway and wait.

As it turned out, I didn't have to wait for long.

The doorbell rang within two minutes. I got up slowly, trembling slightly. Tonight, big changes would occur, but I was ready. With one last breath, I opened the door and nearly fainted at the sight in front of me.

Edward was a vision, wearing a black suit, with a white button-down shirt and a skinny black tie. Of course, despite his slick outfit, his hair was untidy. But I loved it. He was also holding a single red rose.

Somewhat unconsciously, I brought my hand up to caress his cheek. "Beautiful," I whispered.

"The very word for which I was searching," he said quietly, before wrapping his arms around me and giving me a tender kiss. "You look absolutely stunning. Oh, and this is for you," he added, handing me the rose.

"Thank you. That's very sweet of you," I replied. "So what are we doing tonight?"

He chuckled. "Nope, it's a surprise." I growled, making him laugh even harder. "You know, you're very cute when you get angry."

I just shook my head, letting it go. "Are you ready?"

"Absolutely," Edward said, taking my hand and leading me down the steps towards a black limousine.

I snorted. "A limo? Are you kidding me?"

Edward smiled sheepishly. "Your friends wanted this night to be special. And, well, so did I."

Of course, I wanted this to be a magical evening, too. So I couldn't argue. I nodded and he opened the door for me, getting in after I did. I couldn't help but notice that he seemed slightly nervous, too—which comforted me.

"So how was your day," I asked.

He sighed. "Weird. Alice seemed to become possessed when we went shopping. She was like, demon girl."

"Yeah, that's Alice. When she goes shopping, watch out," I said, laughing.

"And then Emmett…ugh. Some of the 'tips' he was giving me for tonight…" He shuddered. "Too graphic and just plain weird. So I'm throwing them out the window. What do you say we just…improvise?" He put his arm around my shoulders and nuzzled my neck.

I giggled, blushing furiously. "Sure. Improvising is a good thing."

He moved his lips up to my cheek and kissed it softly. "I love it when you blush," he whispered.

"I love _you_, Edward," I said, gazing at him.

"I love you so much, Bella," he replied, leaning down and sweetly pressing his lips to mine.

I smiled and rested my head on his shoulder. _This was going to be a wonderful night._

****

We arrived at our destination ten minutes later, and Edward helped me out of the car, grinning widely.

"Where are we," I asked curiously. I couldn't see anything around me because it was completely dark.

He looked down at the new watch on his wrist—Alice's doing I'd guess—then glanced back at me. "Well, you'll find out in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1…"

As soon as he said "1", the entire area lit up, providing me with a good view. We were at Navy Pier, and from the looks of it, we were the only ones here.

"Edward, what's going on?"

He didn't say anything, but merely gestured in front of him.

I couldn't believe what I was seeing.

Docked in front of us was one of the large Spirit of Chicago boats. It was covered in twinkle lights, creating a very magical atmosphere.

"Um, this…is for us," I squeaked.

Edward put his arm around me. "Yes, it's all ours for the evening. We're going on a cruise."

I was shocked. "How? I mean, how did you pull this off?"

"Well, I can't take all the credit. Alice, Jasper, Rosalie, and Emmett arranged it all. How, I don't know. I just follow the orders," he said with a chuckle.

I shook my head, completely at a loss for words. "Wow."

"So, you like it," Edward asked.

My eyes began to well up with tears. "Yes, it's perfect. Thank you."

He leaned over and placed a kiss on my forehead. "Anything for you, my love. Shall we board," he asked, offering me his arm.

"Yes, let's go." I linked my arm through his and we carefully made our way onto the boat.

Once inside, we were met by a steward. "Welcome to the Spirit of Chicago Mr. Masen and Miss Swan," he said cordially. "Why don't I show you to your table?"

"That would be great, thank you," Edward replied.

We were led to a small, candlelit table, which was situated in front of a row of large windows. Also located by our table was a small band, playing quietly.

Edward held out my chair for me, before sitting down himself. "What do you think so far?"

I was still in a daze from everything that had happened. "I can't believe it. It's all so very surreal, like a dream. I feel like I'm just going to wake up and all this is going to be gone."

He reached across the table and held my hand. "Well, I really hope not."

A waiter came up to our table and poured two glasses of champagne, one for each of us. After he walked away, Edward held up his glass to make a toast.

"To you," he said, simply but profoundly.

I smiled and blushed, nodding my head before taking a sip.

The rest of the evening progressed very nicely. Edward and I just sat and talked until our dinner arrived. Sometimes we would fall into a comfortable silence, doing nothing except for staring at each other lovingly. I couldn't help it. Edward looked amazing tonight. Occasionally, he would even take my hand and softly kiss it.

I simply couldn't get over how lucky I was.

After we finished our dinner of mushroom ravioli and tiramisu, I began to get up, but Edward stopped me.

"Hey there Bella, where do you think you're going?"

"Um, isn't it time to leave?"

He laughed. "No, it most certainly is not! For one thing, we're still on open water."

"Oh, I forgot," I muttered stupidly.

"Well, when you have such a big distraction present, I don't blame you," he joked. "Plus, I still have one more surprise for you."

"What?"

He turned and nodded at the band, which stopped playing and began setting up another microphone. I was leaning sharply away from the table, trying to see what was going on.

Edward chuckled. "Careful there, you don't want to fall out of your chair."

"Edward…"

"Bella, please look at me." After I turned my attention back to him, he continued. "Alice tells me that one of your favorite singers is Van Morrison…"

"Yes, and?"

"And after listening to some of his songs, I picked one out that I think really suits us," he explained, walking over to the band and taking the microphone.

_Was he going to sing?_ If he did, I couldn't imagine him not being good at it. He seemed to be good at just about everything.

"I had planned on performing it for you tonight. But then I thought, why sing it when someone else could probably do a better job," he continued. Suddenly, he cleared his throat.

Oh holy mother of god. It was him.

Van Morrison himself.

This was turning into one memorable evening.

I gaped open-mouthed as he took the microphone from Edward, whispered something, then turned towards me.

"Bella," he said, "I wish you and Edward every happiness. This one's for you."

At once, the chords of one of his best songs—in my opinion—began to play: 'Someone Like You'. Edward was right, this song suited us perfectly.

_I've been searching a long time_

_For someone exactly like you_

_I've been traveling all around the world_

_Waiting for you to come through…_

I had been sitting with my eyes closed, getting lost in Van's voice, when I felt a tap on my shoulder. I looked up and saw Edward standing next to me.

"Would you care to dance," he asked, holding out his hand.

I was too overcome with emotion to form a coherent sentence, so I simply nodded and stood up. He led me over to the small dance floor, then gently placed a hand on my waist, his other hand still holding mine tightly. Very slowly, we began swaying to the music.

After about a minute, Edward spoke. "What are you thinking about, love?"

I lifted my head off of his shoulder and gazed up at him. "How much I never want this night to end."

He smiled, almost shyly. "Well don't forget, it's not over yet."

"Yeah, I know," I said, blushing in response.

He stared at me for a few moments before I spoke. "What are _you_ thinking about?"

"How much I love you. How beautiful you are. How I wish I could figure out how the hell I'm supposed to stay human," he said, whispering that last part.

"Edward, just have faith. It'll come to you," I replied, kissing his neck.

"Yeah, I hope so."

"It will. Now stop being mopey, you fun-killer," I joked. "This is _our _night."

"Ok, I'm sorry. You're right." Edward leaned down and brushed his lips against my jaw. "Did you have a good time this evening?"

I smiled widely. "Oh yeah! It was magical. It was amazing…"

He chuckled. "Yes, it was quite a nice night, wasn't it?"

"Uh-huh." I brought my lips to his ear. "And like you said, it's not over yet."

Surprisingly, I heard a low growl come from deep in Edward's throat. When I pulled back to look at him, I noticed that his eyes were slightly glazed over with…lust? I didn't have time to figure it out because he immediately crashed his lips to mine. In no time, our mouths were moving feverishly together, our tongues locked in a battle for dominance.

I had to say, Van Morrison's lyrics were definitely right on…

_The best is yet to come._

**Ok, I want to start by apologizing for the late update. Thanksgiving kind of got in the way, plus I wanted to make sure this chapter was absolutely perfect. It got so long that I needed to split it in two. I put the lemon in the second part for two reasons. I felt like it was good to give such an amazing moment its own chapter. Also, I don't know if any of you don't like reading lemons or not, so I decided to just be safe. If any of you don't want to read it, you can skip over that chapter. But all of you lemonade lovers, don't fret! Part two is going up today! **

**I'm putting the links to Bella's dress and 'Someone Like You' on my profile. For the record, that actually **_**is**_** my favorite Van Morrison song :-) I first heard it when I saw **_**Bridget Jones's Diary**_**, and I fell in love with it. The link I gave you pairs the song with a montage of video footage from **_**Pride and Prejudice**_**. I haven't actually seen that movie, but it looks good. I'll have to rent it one of these days…**

**So what did you all think of this chapter? I'm totally jealous of Bella! She gets to wear a great dress (check out the link, seriously!), spend time with Edward, go on a cruise, and gets serenaded by Van Morrison himself…lucky bitch LOL. Oh, I've actually gone on one of those Spirit of Chicago cruises a few years ago with a bunch of my classmates, and it's so beautiful! **

**Read and review, please. And get ready for the lemon… **


	17. Someone Like You, Part 2

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters. They all belong to the amazingly talented Stephenie Meyer.

_**Chapter 17: Someone Like You (Part 2)**_

Half an hour later, we arrived back at my house. After I opened the door and kicked off my shoes, I was shocked to see a trail of rose petals leading upstairs.

"Who could have possibly…?" Edward and I looked at each other as the realization set in. "Alice," we said together.

"Well, I guess we should just check out where this trail leads us," I suggested, attempting to be sexy.

Edward must have gotten the hint because he picked me up bridal style and ran upstairs, hideously fast. I had to laugh at how eager he was.

We followed the trail, which stopped just outside my bedroom. Edward set me down so he could open the door. When we looked inside, we both gasped.

I was half expecting to find my room loaded up with sex toys. But it was simply filled with tons of lit candles.

Without warning, I started giggling.

"What's so funny, love." Edward asked.

I tried to hold in my laughter, but it was impossible. "I just couldn't help but be thankful that Alice didn't torch the place."

Edward joined in with my laughter. "I guess I never thought about that." He continued to laugh, but I faltered—the joy covering his face knocking me senseless. I gazed up at him, completely entranced by his beauty. He noticed me staring, of course, and stopped laughing. "Bella, what is it?"

"Nothing, it's just…you're amazing, you know that? I mean, you don't even have to try, and you just are," I admitted.

He looked down, slightly embarrassed. "Really?"

I wrapped my arms around his neck. "Yes, Edward. You're the most wonderful person I've ever met. You're sweet, smart, romantic…"

"Hey, you forgot 'devastatingly handsome'," he joked.

"Yes that, too," I said, chuckling. "Honestly Edward, I don't see how such an amazing person like you could ever want to be with me. I don't deserve you. I'm just too ordinary."

He sighed, an almost frustrated look on his face. "Bella, you are the opposite of ordinary. You're _extraordinary_. How many times must I tell you? You are the most beautiful woman on this earth, and the only one who has ever touched my heart. It will always be yours." His eyes locked into mine, smoldering intensely. "I love you, Isabella Marie Swan."

I had been trying to stay in control of my hormones, but after a beautiful speech like that, I couldn't help it. I crushed myself to him, kissing him fiercely. He responded immediately, deepening the kiss and running a hand up and down my back. Suddenly, I felt his hand make its way lower and lower until he was cupping my ass. Without warning, he squeezed it.

I let out a yelp and jumped back, startling him as well. "Shit, I'm sorry Bella. That was inappropriate of me. I didn't mean to…"

By this time, I had regained my composure and put a finger to his lips, silencing him. "Edward, it's alright. I was just surprised, that's all. Besides, I never said I didn't like it," I explained, smiling slyly. Then, I got an idea. "So, do you mind if I return the favor?"

His eyes widened slightly, but he nodded. Stretching up on the tips of my toes, I began kissing his neck, earning a moan from him. I then wrapped my arms around his waist and mimicked his actions—slowly running my hands up and down his back until they came to rest on his backside.

_Damn, he had one nice ass!_

I smiled against his neck and squeezed—hard. He moaned again and grasped my chin, pulling my mouth to his. After a few moments, my breathing was growing ragged. Unfortunately, I needed to pull away for air. When I reluctantly did, Edward whimpered.

I stood, staring into his eyes. "We…"

"What," he asked, his breathing also labored.

"We need to get this off of you," I said, gesturing to his suit.

He nodded. "Good idea."

He took off his shoes and socks, and as quickly as possible, we got off his jacket, pants, shirt, and tie—though it was somewhat difficult because our kisses were getting in the way of that goal. But soon enough, he stood before me in just his boxers, his prominent erection straining against the fabric.

I had never seen him without a shirt on, but it was worth the wait. He looked absolutely delicious. His abs were clearly defined, as were the muscles of his upper arms—though this did not detract from his slender build.

I couldn't help it—I had to taste him. Letting my tongue dart out, I began placing open-mouthed kisses along his chest then slowly made my way downwards, stopping just above the top of his boxers. As I was about to pull them down, he stopped me.

"Bella," he said, trembling, "I think we need to get you out of this dress."

I smiled and stood back up. Edward moved behind me and began to unzip my dress, moving torturously slow. As he did this, he kissed his way down my back, pressing his lips to the newly exposed skin. Finally, he finished and let the dress fall to the floor.

As Edward stood, taking in my nearly naked form, his eyes got that same lustful glaze from before, and he growled. "God, Alice really knows how to pick out lingerie. Maybe I should put in requests more often."

I blushed. "So, you like it?"

"I love it." He wrapped his arms around my waist and leaned down, kissing the tops of my breasts.

I inhaled sharply at his touch, arching into him—the ache between my legs becoming very obvious.

He chuckled. "But as much as I love that on you, it has got to go," Edward said, reaching to the back of my bra. "May I?"

Despite the fact that my legs felt as though they would give out, I nodded enthusiastically. To my amusement, he fumbled with the clasp for a minute before finally unhooking the bra and throwing it to the floor.

Edward stared at my breasts, a look of love and reverence in his eyes. I soon became embarrassed under his gaze and went to cover myself, but he stopped me. "Bella, please don't be self-conscious. You're exquisite."

I blushed again. "Thank you. So…may _I_," I asked, pointing to his boxers.

"Um, sure," he responded, sounding a bit nervous.

Without breaking eye contact, I slowly pulled them down. After he stepped out of them, I decided that it was time to take a peek.

_Holy shit._

Let's just say that the guy was extremely well-endowed.

When I looked back up at him, he had a small smirk on his face. "Like what you see, Miss Swan?"

_God, that smirk was so sexy_. I didn't respond. I figured that actions spoke louder than words.

I jumped into his arms and kissed him passionately, my tongue tracing his lower lip. Edward eagerly complied and opened his mouth, inviting me in. As the kiss intensified, he carried me over to the bed, laying me down gently.

While we were kissing, his hand slowly traveled underneath the waistband of my panties, rubbing circles on my pubic bone. After about a minute of this, I growled.

He pulled back and looked at me, confused. "What is it?"

"Off with the underwear, Edward. I need you now!"

In one swift movement, my panties were off and Edward was smiling down at me. "So gorgeous…" He moved down my body and kissed my clit softly.

I emitted a low, throaty moan—writhing underneath him. "Edward, the nightstand," I choked out.

He looked over at the box of condoms that Alice had left me. "Of course." Taking one of the foil packages out, he ripped it open and rolled it onto his erection. When he finished, he glanced at me, uncertainty in his eyes. "Um, this might sound dumb, but could you check and see if I did this right? Emmett used a banana to demonstrate and well…it's definitely not the same as the real thing."

_Ah, Emmett. _I giggled and sat up. "No worries, Edward. It would be my _pleasure._" All those lessons in health class were about to pay off…

Everything looked to be all set, but I took advantage of this opportunity. I ran my hand over his arousal, reveling in the feeling.

Before long, he was breathing heavily. "God, I want you, Bella."

I laid back down, looking straight at him. "Then go ahead and take me."

Edward groaned and captured my lips in a kiss, before positioning himself between my legs.

His eyes bored into mine, wordlessly asking my permission to go ahead. I nodded hurriedly. Ever so gently, he eased his way inside of me—going slowly to let me get used to the feeling. We both moaned at the sensation. But suddenly, I felt him reach my barrier. He must have noticed it, too, because he gulped loudly.

"Um, Bella—I've heard that this might be a little painful," he said shakily.

"Yeah," I replied, my voice also shaking. "Just…do it quickly. Like ripping off a band-aid."

His eyes darted away from my face nervously. "Alright."

I caressed his cheek with my hand. "Edward, please look at me. Don't be scared. It's supposed to hurt."

Admittedly, he wasn't the only one I was trying to convince. I was just as scared.

He met my gaze again and I gave him what I hoped was a comforting smile. He gave me a small smile in return and nodded.

This was it.

Before I could register what had happened, I felt a sharp pain between my legs. I bit my lip, trying to hold in my gasp. I didn't want Edward to know that it hurt. But unfortunately, my eyes began to water and the tears spilled over.

_Stupid traitor tears!_

Edward lowered his head and kissed away the moisture, whispering "I'm so sorry" over and over. When he looked back at me, he had a pained expression on his face. "I feel awful, Bella. We can stop if you want."

"Hey, the only way you'd truly hurt me is if you did stop. Just give me a moment please," I insisted.

"Ok," he said, though he still didn't look completely convinced.

But not long after, the pain was gone, giving way to an intense amount of pleasure. I needed more. Pulling his head down, I kissed him with as much energy as I could muster. Thankfully, this seemed to encourage him and he kissed me back.

Very slowly, he started a rhythm, pulling out slightly and then filling me up again. Moan after moan escaped my lips and instinctively, I wrapped my legs around his waist, further intensifying the growing pressure in my abdomen.

"Faster, Edward…please," I gasped.

"As you wish, my love," he replied, picking up the pace.

I decided that since he had been giving me so much pleasure, I wanted to make sure that he was equally satisfied. I began meeting his thrusts with my own, and kissing the perfectly sculpted planes of his chest. My name fell from his lips again and again.

"God, Bella—you feel so good," Edward said, his voice strained. "I think…I think maybe I'm getting close."

That tightening in my abdomen was getting almost too intense to handle, and I figured that I was getting close as well. "Me too, Edward."

While all this was going on, he had been massaging my breasts—switching from one to the other. But it was when he took one into his mouth and sucked roughly that I came undone, threading my fingers through his hair and holding him in place. I cried out as I felt my body spasm, a cluster of stars swimming across my vision. Seconds later, he reached his own climax, groaning out my name and gripping the sheets tightly. His arms shook from the effort of holding himself up. Finally, he collapsed on top of me, exhausted.

"Bella, that was…"

"Amazing," I finished, panting loudly.

After about a minute, he pulled out of me and rolled onto his back, wrapping his arms around me. I laid my head on his chest, listening to his heartbeat. I loved that sound, and felt so attuned to it. It was so calming, so beautiful. As I listened, my eyelids started to droop.

"Sleep, Bella—you've had a very busy day," he said, a smile coloring his voice. Suddenly, I felt his lips at my ear. "Thank you for making me so happy."

"Back at you," I mumbled, fatigued. "I love you, Edward."

He kissed the top of my head. "I love you, too, Bella. And I always will."

Before I knew it, I had fallen asleep—safe in the arms of the man I loved.

It was the perfect end to a perfect evening.

**And there you have it, folks. I hope you enjoyed it! I know I certainly enjoyed writing it. Just imagine...Edward (Rob!) with no shirt...or pants...hot damn! That's one lovely mental image :-) **

**Hey, yesterday, I saw **_**Twilight**_** for the second time! I'm thinking about trying for a third viewing—maybe next week :-)**

**Please let me know what you thought about this chapter! I'll try to update next weekend. **


	18. Jekyll and Hyde

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters. They all belong to the amazingly talented Stephenie Meyer.

**A/N: Hey guys! Just as an FYI, there is a lemon in this chapter. I thought I'd let you know right off the bat…just in case anyone doesn't like lemons. The rest of my A/N is at the end :-)**

_**Chapter 18: Jekyll and Hyde**_

It was another sunny morning in Chicago. Very fitting—I thought—considering the events of last night.

_Ah, last night._

Just thinking about it made me blush, but not out of embarrassment. It was more like a happy blush…if there is such a thing. Though I guess since I blushed so frequently, I didn't really need to have an explanation for it.

I reached over to the other side of the bed, expecting to find Edward there, but he was gone. I sat up quickly and looked around. Still no sign of him. Suddenly, my eyes registered on a small piece of paper, lying on the nightstand. I put on my robe and got up to check it out.

It was a note, written in an elegant script.

_Good Morning my beautiful Bella._

_I hope you slept well. I know I certainly did. Then again, having a gorgeous woman lying next to me definitely helped._

_After you read this, please go downstairs. I have a surprise for you._

_I love you._

_Edward_

Geez, what was it with these people and surprises? But in this case, I didn't really care. I ran downstairs, but in my eagerness, I tripped on the last step. I put my arms out, bracing myself, but there was no need. A pair of strong arms caught me and held on to me tightly.

"Hey, I know you couldn't help but fall for me, but you didn't have to show me in such a literal way."

I looked up and saw Edward smirking down at me. "Well, good morning to you, too."

He laughed. "I was just heading upstairs to check on you. And I guess it's a good thing I was."

"Oh yes, Edward. What would I have done had you not been here?" I laid a hand on my forehead dramatically. "You're my knight in shining armor."

Suddenly, the smirk disappeared from his face and his eyes grew soft. "Always." He leaned down and kissed me once, twice, three times before pulling away slowly. "Hi," he whispered.

I giggled. "Hi, handsome." It was just then that I noticed his outfit. "Um, what are you wearing?"

He had on a t-shirt that said 'Star Trek' and a pair of baggy flannel pants.

Edward sighed. "Well, I didn't have any pajamas. Alice went crazy and decided to get everything else for me on that shopping trip—but nothing to sleep in. So I took this from your dad's dresser. I hope he won't notice."

"Oh, I doubt he will." I shook my head. "I didn't even know he had that shirt. God, my dad was a Trekie?!"

"What's a Trekie?"

I rolled my eyes. "A really big fan of the show 'Star Trek.' They're usually pretty hardcore," I said with a laugh.

He got a speculative look on his face. "So you don't like the shirt?"

"Well, it's not that. It's just kind of odd. I mean, you hear about the obsessed fans collecting all this memorabilia, and those conventions where people dress up and…" But I couldn't finish because as I was speaking, Edward took off the shirt and tossed it on the floor.

"Better," he asked seductively.

"Much," I squeaked.

_Mmm, he was dazzling me again_. I just couldn't get over how perfect he looked with no shirt on. Damn, I just wanted to lick him—starting at his abs and trailing all the way down to his…

"Bella?" I snapped my head back up and blushed, realizing that I had been staring at his crotch.

"Sorry. I was just, uh…"

He laughed loudly. "Don't worry about it, love. If you undressed, I'd probably do the same thing."

I blushed again and decided to change the subject before I did something rash. "So, you said you had a surprise for me?"

"Yes, I did say that didn't I?" Edward put his hand on the small of my back and led me over to the piano. We both sat down on the bench. "I've been working on a little something, and I'd like to play it for you."

"Sure, I'd love to hear it," I said excitedly.

He stared at me for an immeasurable amount of time before turning back to the keys and beginning. Immediately, a quiet, melancholy sound filled the room. It was so heartbreakingly beautiful. As the piece progressed, it got louder and louder until suddenly, he paused, letting the chords fade into the air. But when he began again, the melody was considerably sweeter, calmer—like a relaxing summer's day. I closed my eyes, allowing myself to get swept up in the song.

And then, all too soon, it came to an end. I let my eyes open slowly. "Edward…" I couldn't even find the words to describe how brilliant that piece was. "You actually wrote that," I asked, my voice almost a whisper.

"Yes." He took my hand and exhaled almost nervously. "I wrote it for you."

My eyes widened and welled up. "For me?"

He ran a hand through his perpetually messy hair. "Yeah. I know it's not perfect, but I wanted to make it like a story, you know? I mean, before you came along, I was completely lost. There was no purpose to anything, no inspiration. But you—you are my inspiration now. You've brightened my entire world."

The tears were now running down my cheeks. "I love you, Edward. Thank you. That song was wonderful." I crawled onto his lap and wrapped my arms around his neck.

"I love you, too, Bella. And I'm glad you liked it," he replied, kissing his way along my jaw. "So, you must be hungry. Can I get you anything," he asked between kisses.

A great idea suddenly came to mind. "Hmm, well, do you know by chance when Alice might be back?"

"Around lunchtime, I believe. Why do you ask?"

"Well, I'm not really hungry for breakfast, but I can think of a pretty good substitute," I said, raising my eyebrows suggestively at him.

Edward caught up to my mood in an instant, picking me up and quickly carrying me upstairs—this time, caveman style. I couldn't help but think how ironic it was that not a week ago, we had witnessed similar interaction between Emmett and Rosalie.

I laughed the whole way upstairs, not at all worried that I was dangling precariously over Edward's shoulder. I knew that he wouldn't let me fall.

As soon as we made it up to my room, Edward had me pinned up against the wall, his lips moving swiftly with mine. My fingers tangled in his hair and I tugged on it just a bit. He must have enjoyed that because he gasped and roughly swept his tongue into my mouth, not even bothering to see if it was ok with me. Usually, he was so polite—even when he was in a mood like this. But I had to admit, I kind of liked badass Edward.

As fast as I could, I pulled off his pants and blushed when I saw that he had on no underwear.

"No boxers," I breathed.

"Nope," he stated simply, a cocky smile on his face.

That smile made my legs turn to jello every time I saw it. Usually, cockiness was such a turn-off. But it seemed to only make Edward sexier.

I grabbed onto his hair and pulled his head back down, my lips meeting his again. As we kissed, I felt him tugging at the belt of my robe. I put my arms at my sides so he could pull it off. When he saw that I had nothing on underneath, he growled and lifted me up, taking me over to the bed.

"Mmm, Edward," I groaned as we fell onto the mattress, "I need…" But I couldn't form the words. It's kind of hard to do that when you have a beautiful man kissing and licking his way up your body. "I…ahh," I squealed, feeling his teeth graze my nipples.

"What? What do you need, love," he cooed, moving up to suck on the skin at the base of my neck. A prominent mark would probably appear later.

"Damn it, Edward," I snarled, "I need you in me now!"

He smiled down at me. "Your wish, my command," he replied, taking a condom from the nightstand and rolling it onto his erection. Edward then leaned down and kissed me for a few moments before moving his lips to my ear. "I hope you're ready to be fucked senseless."

I whimpered at his words and nodded. He was so hot when he talked dirty. "Now, Edward!"

The next thing I knew, he was inside of me, pounding out a steady, forceful rhythm. This was definitely not the tender love-making of last night. This was the hot, crazy shit that you hear about happening with rock bands on tour buses. And I loved it.

I wrapped my legs around his waist, eliciting a moan from him. "God, you're so tight, Bella," he grunted. Reaching down, he swept a finger along my folds, his eyes rolling back slightly at the sensation. "And so wet."

"Just for you, love," I choked out. "Only you."

He smiled as he continued his thrusts. "And no one else."

"No one else," I echoed back. "You're mine."

"Forever." He leaned down and gave me a searing kiss. To my delight, he began to stroke and pinch my clit, causing me to arch deeper into him. Suddenly, the fire in my abdomen exploded and I came hard around him, crying out his name loudly. Edward experienced his own release shortly after, shuddering and letting out a throaty growl before falling on top of me, breathing heavily.

After our heart rates became normal and our breathing slowed, I started giggling. "Well, that was interesting, wasn't it?"

Edward chuckled. "Extremely. I very much enjoyed myself."

I sighed happily. "Me too."

"Good." He reached around my shoulders and put his arm around me. "Emmett was right, then."

_Emmett?_ "Uh, what do you mean?"

"Oh, one of those _tips_ he gave me was that women like their men aggressive. Well, he explained it a lot dirtier than I did. But that was basically the extent," he said, nuzzling my neck.

"Hmm, I suppose he's right," I admitted, smiling. "I never thought the day would come that I'd agree with any of Emmett's theories."

He reached over and stroked my hair. "I'm curious, though—I didn't hurt you, did I? Was I too rough? I could back off and be gentler, or cut the swearing if you want…"

The gentlemanly Edward was coming back. "No, not at all," I said earnestly. "I liked this side of you. Actually, I like both sides."

"Both?"

"Yeah—the gentleman _and_ the bad boy."

"Huh, like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde," Edward mused.

I laughed. "I guess I never thought of it that way, but sure."

He joined in with my laughter and we continued to lie there, lapsing into comfortable silence. A few minutes later, I looked at the clock—which read 11 AM—and groaned. "I think we need to get up. Alice should be here soon."

"Ugh, super," he said sarcastically, burying his face in the pillow.

"I know, isn't it?" But with one last sigh, I sat up and slowly trudged over to the bathroom. However, I realized that our fun didn't have to end here. I turned around, smiling when I saw that Edward was staring at me. "I've got to take a shower. Would Dr. Jekyll or Mr. Hyde care to join me?"

An amused expression crossed Edward's face. "What about me? Can I come?"

I scrunched up my face, as though I was deep in thought. "I don't know. Jekyll and Hyde are two very worthy companions…"

I had begun to turn back towards the door when suddenly, he ran up behind me and started tickling my sides. I screeched and tried to wriggle out of his grasp, but he easily picked me up and carried me into the bathroom.

After setting me down and turning on the shower, he stepped inside—letting the water cascade down his beautiful body. "Well, we know that Edward is accounted for," he said, gesturing to himself. "But as for Jekyll or Hyde, you'll just have to come in and find out." With a huge grin, he held out his hand. I took it and got in with him, sliding the glass door shut behind me…

****

As it turned out, Dr. Jekyll was the one who showed up.

I smiled blissfully as Edward soaped up a washcloth and gently began massaging my body, keeping an arm around my waist to make sure I didn't slip and fall. While he did this, he would also lightly kiss my neck and shoulders. I closed my eyes and tilted my head back, resting against his chest. It was very relaxing.

When he finished, he carefully turned me around so I was facing him and kissed me softly. "Now," he murmured against my lips, "It's your turn."

I smiled and nodded, kissing him again before repeating the process. I lathered up his arms first, making my way down and blushing when I reached his, um, manhood. This seemed amuse him because he chuckled and pulled me close.

"You are just too adorable," he whispered into my ear.

I shuddered as he gently sucked on my earlobe. "Edward, if you keep that up, we'll be in here forever."

He chuckled again. "Alright, alright. I'll be good, I promise. Please proceed."

"Thank you," I replied, a lofty tone to my voice, and my face a mask of faux seriousness. I started shampooing his hair, but when he made a big show of bending over so I wouldn't have to reach up very far, I began laughing hysterically. "Ok, fine—I give. Happy?"

"Extremely," he said, his crooked grin lighting up his face.

I rolled my eyes and nudged him backwards so that he stood under the water, letting the shampoo rinse out. Reaching up, I caressed his cheek, smiling when he leaned into my touch and kissed the palm of my hand.

I reached around him and went to turn off the water, but Edward merely grabbed my arm and wrapped it around his neck. I put my other arm around him and we stood there for a few moments, holding each other tightly. Then very slowly, he leaned down and kissed me. I sighed and parted my lips slightly, inviting him to take advantage of the opportunity—which he did. His tongue swept in, tangling with mine, and we both moaned at the feeling. We continued like this for an immeasurable amount of time, our mouths moving in perfect synchronization together. Now and then, he would even let his lips trail up and down my neck, whispering words like "I love you" and "so beautiful" as he went.

When the warm water eventually ran out, Edward reluctantly pulled away from me and shut it off. He led me out of the shower and wrapped a fluffy, white towel around me. "Now Miss Swan, you're all dried off and ready to go. Shall we find you something to wear?"

I smiled. "Sure, why not."

I didn't want to make a big fuss over my outfit, so very quickly, I picked out some skinny jeans and a fitted t-shirt. Edward, on the other hand, wasn't having much luck. He was standing in the corner, staring at the pile of clothes that Alice had bought him.

"Need some help," I asked, wrapping my arms around his waist.

He chuckled. "Sure. I never was very good at deciding what to wear."

After a few minutes, I had come up with a pair of jeans and an emerald green, short-sleeved polo shirt. I handed him his clothes and stretched up to kiss him on the cheek. "Here you go. I hope this is ok."

"Yes, thank you, love." But after eyeing the shirt, he looked at me questioningly. "Green?"

I blushed. "Well, um…it's the color of your eyes. I thought it might look nice on you."

Edward broke into his beautiful smile. "Would it, now? Well, I guess I should wear it then." He pulled on the pants and shirt, then gestured to himself. "Do I look alright?"

I stepped forward, took his hand, and squeezed it gently. "You look amazing."

"Thank you," he whispered, leaning in towards me. But just before his lips touched mine, I heard the front door bang open.

"Hey lovebirds," Alice called. "And no one better be naked, 'cause we're coming in!"

Edward sighed and gave me a quick kiss before leading me towards the stairs. As we made our way down, I saw that not only Alice was waiting for us, but so were the rest of our friends. She, Rosalie, and Jasper had huge grins on their faces. Surprisingly, Emmett was scowling.

Jasper laughed loudly and stuck out his palm in front of Emmett. "That's right, buddy. Pay up!" Shaking his head, Emmett reached into his pocked and fished out a $20 bill, giving it to Jasper.

I frowned. "What did I miss?"

"Oh, the boys had a little bet going. Emmett was convinced that we'd walk in on you two in the act. But Jasper thought otherwise," Rosalie explained.

"Well, if you came by an hour ago, Emmett, you would have won," Edward said casually, a huge smile on his face.

My eyes widened and everyone laughed. "Edward," I hissed, "That's private."

He wrapped his arms around my waist. "I know, and I'm sorry. I'm just happy, that's all."

"So you guys had a good time, then," Alice asked.

I smiled widely and looked from Edward to my friends. "It was wonderful. Thank you, guys."

Everyone murmured their "you're welcomes" and Emmett playfully punched Edward's shoulder. "I'm so proud of you, dude. My little Eddie becoming a man…"

Edward growled. "My name is not Eddie!"

We all laughed again and Alice walked closer to me. "So…did the lingerie work," she asked in a half whisper.

I bit my lip and nodded, causing her to screech and give me a bone-crushing hug. "That's my girl!"

"Yep, Alice—it worked like a charm," Edward said, kissing my neck. "Thanks."

"No problem! So I'm curious…now that we know what a great time you two had, have you guys given any thought to our little predicament," she asked.

I narrowed my eyes, confused. "What pre…" Then suddenly, it dawned on me. I had been so wrapped up in the events of last night and this morning that I had forgotten. We still had to figure out how Edward could stay human, and we had to do it fast. We didn't have much time. I looked up at him and his worried expression mirrored mine. "Well, not really. I was sort of preoccupied," I confessed.

"Me too," Edward said, a hint of dark humor coloring his voice.

The others looked at each other, concerned. "But there's only a few days left," Rosalie stated. "We've got to act quickly."

I reached up and caressed Edward's cheek. "I know. So what should we do?"

Emmett snickered. "Well damn, I was kind of hoping that after last night…"

"No, Emmett," I snapped. "Despite what you might think, not everything is about sex!" _If only the solution were that simple._

His face fell. "I'm sorry, Bella. I shouldn't have said that. We need to be serious about this."

I suddenly felt awful for snapping at Emmett. I walked over to him and gave him a hug. "No, _I'm_ sorry, Emmett. I shouldn't have blown up like that. I'm just worried, that's all."

Jasper reached over and put his hand on my shoulder. "Bella, it's alright. Everything will work out."

"I hope so." Turning around, I put my arms around Edward's neck and rested my head against his chest. "We haven't come this far to just go back to the way things were."

I felt him rest his chin on the top of my head. "I know, love."

"Well hey," Alice said, "We can start today! Charlie comes home tomorrow evening, so if we work through the night, we're more than likely to figure things out before he gets back. We can definitely think things through faster when we don't have to worry about him walking in." She draped her arms around both Edward and me. "So, who's in?"

Emmett, Jasper, and Rosalie gathered around us so that we ended up in some sort of a big group hug. Usually, I find those kinds of things cheesy and cliché. But at a moment like this, it felt good to know that I had the support of my friends.

And right now, Edward and I needed all the help and support that we could get.

**Hey, all! I hope you liked the sexy times of Edward and Bella while they lasted…because there's drama coming, people—probably as soon as next chapter. So get ready…**

**I wanted to start by apologizing to any Trekies who read may have read this portion my story. I hope I didn't cause offense…and if I did, I didn't mean to. I just thought it might kind of be a cute and funny reference.**

**As for the chapter itself, what'd you think? Did you think the lullaby was cool? I sort of based it off of what the one in the movie sounds like—a bit mysterious to start, and then getting sweeter as it goes. **

**I have good news! I'm starting my holiday break in a couple of days, so I'll hopefully be able to get quite a bit of writing accomplished! Anyways, I'll probably update here next week. In the meantime, read and review! **


	19. Breaking Point

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters. They all belong to the amazingly talented Stephenie Meyer.

**A/N: Just as a heads up, there is violence and high drama at the end of this chapter. For those who are sensitive to that kind of thing, I advise you to skip over that part. As for the rest of you, don't say I didn't warn you… **

_**Chapter 19: Breaking Point**_

It was 5:00. Charlie would be home from his trip in a few hours.

My friends and I had worked tirelessly through the night, trying to come up with a solution. We had lost sleep, and possibly our sanity.

And still, we could not figure out what to do to keep Edward human.

We had tried out every possible idea. Jasper had given him a driving lesson, Emmett took him out to get fast food, and Alice taught him the Hustle and the Macarena—all things they believed were essential experiences in a person's life. They thought that by engaging in such activities, Edward would be able to stay human for good.

And despite the fact that we knew having sex wasn't the answer, Rosalie had Edward and I go upstairs and try it just in case. She even ran back to get those animal print handcuffs, in the hopes that they would make all the difference. For the record, I highly recommend their use to anyone.

But they didn't work. Nothing we tried did.

Edward guessed that when we had figured it out, we would know immediately. He thought it would be cruel to be strung along until the very end of the week.

The answer was probably right in front of my face, and it was embarrassing that I couldn't see it. I had a feeling that it had nothing to do with something as simple as eating a cheeseburger or learning a dance. It most likely involved a deeper meaning. But what the hell was it?

We were all downstairs in various positions around the living room. I sat next to Edward on the couch, holding his hand and resting my head on his shoulder. Rosalie was at the other end of the couch, perched on the armrest. Emmett was standing next to her, lightly rubbing her back. And Alice sat on Jasper's lap in one of the big armchairs.

"Hey, I know," Emmett said enthusiastically, breaking the silence, "Why don't we try skinny dipping? It's definitely something that everyone has to experience at least once in their life."

And that was when it happened.

I snapped.

Up until this point, I had been trying to keep my emotions under wraps. It would have done me no good to bog down everyone's optimism with my worry. But now, it had all come to a breaking point. If we didn't figure everything out soon, Edward would become a ghost again. Yes, we could still stay together—but for how long? If everything went back to the way it was, Edward couldn't get any older. Fast forward about ten years, and it would be a little creepy for a 27 year old to be with a 17 year old—regardless if the two were genuinely in love. Plus, it's not like we could have the most public of relationships. A ghost and a human—how do you think people would react to that? We'd have to be stuck hiding everything. And after a while, that would get pretty damn annoying.

But most importantly, Edward would be devastated if he couldn't stay human. He had been alone for so long, had missed out on so many opportunities. It would be incredibly unfair to have exposure to a normal life, and then suddenly find yourself back at square one. I didn't want him to constantly be thinking about what could have been. He didn't deserve that.

I growled and jumped off of the couch. "No, Emmett. We are not going skinny dipping," I hissed.

His eyes widened. "But Bella…"

"We are not going skinny dipping," I repeated, raising my voice. "What don't you understand? I mean, do you really think that something as stupid and insignificant as that would actually work?"

"It was just a suggestion," Emmett grumbled.

"Well, it was a really dumb suggestion!"

"Hey," Rosalie interrupted, standing up, "What the hell is your problem, Bella?"

Alice stood up as well and walked over to me. "Yeah, Bella—what's your deal?"

"What's my deal?" I started laughing hysterically. "What's my deal, you ask?"

"Bella, you're starting to scare me," Alice said, frowning. Jasper came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her—almost protectively.

I abruptly stopped laughing and glared at everyone. "_You're _scared of _me_? I really don't see how _I_ could scare you when we've got something much scarier on our hands right now." I motioned to Edward and he came and stood next to me, threading his fingers through mine. "Edward might be a ghost again in a matter of days. _That's_ scary."

I continued, tears running down my cheeks. "I tried to be calm. I tried to be open to everyone's ideas. But guys, think about it. Do you really believe that my soul mate's life depends on going swimming naked? Or—though I really enjoyed myself—that a pair of animal print handcuffs would do the trick? I mean, the solution has to involve more than that. We have to think harder!"

"Love," Edward said quietly, "Please calm down. I hate seeing you upset like this." He hugged me tightly and I buried my face in his chest, my tears staining his shirt.

"I just…I don't know what to do," I blubbered. "My brain is totally fried."

I felt someone pat my shoulder. "Bella, you're right. We haven't been putting enough thought into this," Rosalie said softly.

"Yeah, who said anything about nakedness," Emmett joked. "Not me. Zero nakedness here!"

I tried to giggle, though it sounded quite half-hearted. But luckily, everyone took my attempt as encouragement and laughed along with me.

Edward tightened his grip on me and pressed his lips to my forehead. "It'll all be ok," he whispered. "I just have a good feeling."

"Don't worry, Bella," Alice said. "We've got this! Let's just sit down and get to work. No dancing, I promise."

I giggled again, but the tears continued to flow freely. I was a wreck, and I needed to decompress before I did anything else. "Sure, guys. Just, I've gotta get out of here first."

Everyone looked at me questioningly and I sighed. "Well, I can't very well solve a thing as big as this when I'm a mess. I need to clear my head, take a walk or something."

"Bella, are you sure," Jasper asked. "Do you want one of us to go with you?"

"Jasper has a point, love. I don't like the idea of you wandering around aimlessly by yourself," Edward said, concerned.

I rolled my eyes. "Guys, really—I'll be fine. Just stay here and relax."

"Alright…um, have fun," Alice said, an edge of uncertainty to her voice. "Would that be the proper sentiment?"

"Sure, Alice. Why not," I replied, walking towards the door. But before I could open it, Edward grabbed my hand and pulled me into his arms. Leaning down, he kissed me softly for a moment, then rested his forehead against mine.

"Hurry back," he said quietly. "I love you."

I kissed him again quickly and opened the door. "I love you, too." Directing my attention to everyone else, I waved and flashed what I hoped was a small smile. "See you in a bit, guys."

They all smiled and waved. "See you, Bella," Alice said, running forward and giving me a hug.

I nodded and stepped outside. The sun shone brightly, and I stood there for a few seconds, letting the heat penetrate my body. Then, without any thought as to where I was headed, I jogged down the steps to the sidewalk and took off down the street.

****

As it turns out, I ended up at the drugstore a few blocks away. Very exciting, I know. But I felt the need for a pop. It was extremely hot outside.

I was greeted by the cool blast of air conditioning as I entered the store. Making my way over to the coolers, I grabbed a Coke and took a swig. I was much too thirsty to wait until after I paid.

_What a day it had been._ Just thinking about it made me tear up. But I was acting ridiculous and I knew it. Being a basket case and blowing up in front of everyone was unnecessary. I could only imagine what they thought of me. I made a mental note to apologize to my friends as soon as I got home.

At that moment, I realized that I needed to be strong—if not for myself, then for Edward. If I didn't hold onto even a miniscule amount of confidence that we could solve this predicament, then for sure there would be no hope of him staying human.

I closed my eyes and inhaled deeply, focusing on Edward's smiling face in my mind. Immediately, a sense of calm overtook me. Just one smile from him could do that. After a few seconds, the vision zoomed out, and I pictured him standing on the porch of a beautiful little house in the country. He held a bouquet of wildflowers. And though he seemed to be slightly older, he looked as handsome as ever.

Suddenly, a dark-haired woman appeared, walking up the pathway to the house. Edward practically flew off of the porch and scooped her up in his arms, twirling her around in a circle. The two of them laughed loudly, enjoying their moment. Setting her down, Edward kissed her soundly and handed over the flowers. It was then that I noticed who the woman was. She looked to be in her 20's, but I knew that face.

It was me.

Then again, who else would it be? Edward and I belonged together.

Though I never really gave my daydreams a second thought, I saw this as some kind of sign. Perhaps it meant that we would succeed after all.

I opened my eyes and walked up to the counter to pay for my pop. But as I was pulling out my money, three guys stumbled into the store. And it wasn't hard to tell that they were drunk.

"Whoa, this isn't the bar," one of them stated. He was tall and sandy-haired, with light blue eyes.

The cashier glared at them. "No, it isn't. Though it doesn't look like you guys need anything more to drink."

After a second's pause, one of the other guys started laughing. "Oh, you had me for a minute there. That's a good one. You're funny!"

"Does it look like I'm laughing," the cashier asked, staring unblinkingly at them. "Now, get the hell out of here!"

"But…"

"Get out! Unless you want me to call the police…" At these words, the three guys stopped smiling. "Not so funny now, am I boys?"

I had expected the guys to use some kind of snippy comeback or get weird on her, but they didn't. They just turned around and trudged out the door. But before he left, the sandy-haired guy gave the cashier a menacing glare. His gaze then fell upon me, and the corners of his mouth turned up in a wicked smile. That look sent shivers up and down my spine. But thankfully, he left with his friends soon after.

"Ok, um, here's your change," the cashier said, her voice shaking.

"Are you alright," I asked.

She nodded her head. "Yes, just a bit shaken up. Those guys were creepy."

I shuddered. "Yeah, tell me about it. But that was really cool how you handled them."

"Thanks," she said, smiling. "Well anyway, have a nice rest of your day. And be careful. The fact that those idiots are running around out there makes me uneasy."

"I will. Thanks," I replied, walking outside. Looking at my watch, I saw that it was close to 6:00.

We were losing time.

I began walking quickly in the direction of my house, telling myself that as soon as I got in the door, we would get to work. There would be no dilly-dallying, no half-hearted guesses.

By the time Charlie got home tonight, Edward would be human—permanently.

I smiled, thinking about the fact that finally, the two of them would be able to meet. Finally, we could start planning a future together.

_Our_ future.

My thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a pair of arms snaking around my waist. _Ha, I should have known that Edward would have followed me to make sure I was safe._ Though it was cute, the guy was just being way too paranoid. A short walk through the neighborhood wasn't going to kill me.

I sighed and giggled. "Hi, Edward."

"Who's Edward," a voice growled in my ear.

I whipped my head around and gasped in horror.

Standing behind me, that same wicked smile on his face from before, was the sandy-haired guy from the store. He was flanked by his two buddies, who each had similarly creepy smiles on their faces.

"You," I sputtered, "I-I saw you in the store."

He laughed loudly, raising goosebumps on my arms…and not the good kind. "You remembered! I'm flattered. But you didn't answer my question. Who's Edward?"

I gulped. "Uh, he's my boyfriend."

"Really?"

"Yes, and I love him very much," I added fervently, hoping that he'd get a clue and back the hell off.

"Aww," he said, a mocking tone to his voice. "Well, isn't that sweet, guys?" His friends nodded, laughing. One took a long sip from his beer bottle and hiccupped.

I rolled my eyes and tried to walk away, but the sandy-haired guy grabbed my wrist roughly and held me in place. "Oh, I'm sorry. I'm being rude. I'm James, and these are my friends Laurent and Marcus. And you are?"

"Leaving," I said firmly, but James' grip on me tightened even more. It was growing quite painful.

"Say, why don't you hang with us for a while? We're experts at showing a lady a good time," James said, laughing raucously with his friends.

I drew in a shaky breath. "No, thank you."

"Oh, c'mon. I'm sure Edward wouldn't mind if we borrowed you for a little while," Laurent said, a hungry look in his eyes.

"Actually, I think he would," I replied, trying to shrink away from his gaze.

"What, he doesn't like sharing?" To my horror, James began leaning in towards me, the smell of alcohol on his breath making me wrinkle my nose. "That sounds a little controlling to me."

With as much power as I could muster, I slapped him, causing him to loosen his hold on me. I used this opportunity to try and run away, taking a shortcut to my house through a nearby alley. But it was to no avail. Despite their drunken state, the guys easily caught up with me, grabbing onto one of my legs and throwing me to the ground in the alley. I put my arms out to brace myself, but unfortunately, all of my weight fell onto my right arm. A searing pain shot through my wrist, causing me to cry out.

At this, James snickered. "Come now, it couldn't have been that painful." Immediately, his eyes narrowed. "But this, on the other hand…" Before I could try to get up, he kicked me in the ribs—hard.

I screamed and curled myself into a ball on the ground. When I tried to inhale, it felt as though a knife had been plunged into the injured area. The feeling was excruciating.

I began to whimper as the pain intensified. This only seemed to anger James even more. "Oh, shut up," he growled, grabbing my shirt collar and yanking me to my feet. "You know you want us. Don't even try to deny it."

My head started to swirl from being pulled vertical so quickly, and I swayed slightly on the spot. But my thoughts were perfectly clear. When in my life would I ever pick a bunch of drunken assholes over Edward? I would never want anyone else.

"No," I said as firmly as I could.

James snarled and slammed me into the brick wall, knocking the wind out of me. I sputtered and gasped, trying to regulate my breathing. But this just agitated my injured ribs and I winced in pain. Marcus laughed at my reaction, and to my horror, threw his empty beer bottle at the wall next to me. It shattered, one of the pieces slashing my cheek.

I was starting to grow weary from my injuries, and I wanted nothing more than to give up. After the guys got what they wanted, I could just walk away and pretend like tonight never happened.

_No! Snap out of it, Bella! Would you rather fall to the mercy of a few drunken guys and surrender, or go down fighting for Edward, the man you loved?_

The answer was easy.

Edward, of course.

I hadn't really though of how I would die, but dying for him couldn't be such an awful thing if this ended badly. Some might even consider it noble. And if Edward changed back into a ghost by the end of the week, I stood the chance of being with him again. Hell, I might even like being a ghost. If I could be with Edward forever, it wouldn't really matter under what circumstances we were together.

The thought made me smile. Unfortunately, James took advantage of my silence and slapped me across the face.

I was slipping, and I could feel it. The shadows were there, waiting to engulf me.

_Oh no, Bella. Please, no!_

Strange—it sounded like Edward. I wonder if it's normal to hear the one you love before you die.

_Bella, no! Fight!_

I heard it again and sighed happily, my eyes fluttering shut. My brain latched onto that beautiful voice, committing it to memory. I would always want to remember it as one of the last things I heard while on this earth. But James' growl broke through my haze. "So, who's it gonna be?"

Like there was any other option.

"Edward," I mumbled, a small smile playing across my face.

"Fucking bitch," James fumed, forcefully throwing me to the ground.

I didn't even try to fight. I simply went limp, letting myself fall.

I was going to die, and in a matter of days, I might be reunited with Edward. I took comfort in that possibility. It made my impending death easier to accept.

My head hit the pavement with a sickening crack, and the world went dark.

**Alright, please don't hate me! This attack was essential to the plot. It had to happen. Just trust me on this. If it makes anyone feel better, I was a wreck writing this chapter. I hate writing about stuff like this…it's just so sad. That's one of the reasons why I'm so late updating (I'm sorry about that, by the way!). Plus, I had an absolutely horrible case of writer's block. Ugh, I hate it when that happens.**

**Hey, so this story is on Twilighted now, also. It's very exciting! I've got five chapters up there, and am submitting chapter six tonight. Please feel free to head on over to the forums and leave a comment in my thread. The name of the thread is "I'll Always Be With You by LovelyinLavender." But keep in mind, there are some on Twilighted who don't visit . Since the story is farther along here, please be considerate of them and don't give anything away! **

**Next chapter will be in Edward's point of view. We'll get to hear his take on the attack. I will update ASAP. Please read and review :-) Oh, and I hope everyone had a great holiday!**


	20. Breakdown, Breakthrough

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters. They all belong to the amazingly talented Stephenie Meyer.

_**Chapter 20: Breakdown, Breakthrough**_

**EPOV**

It was like the past all over again.

When Bella stepped out to go for a walk, she took with her all the optimism that we had tried to build up. Even though I wasn't physically by myself—the others were still with me—I felt very alone.

To put it simply, Bella was my other half. I needed her here with me in order to function. She had given me so much, had shared so many experiences with me. I absolutely did not want to give any of that up.

I was so exhausted, though. I guess staying up all night to try and solve the most complicated problem known to man does that to you. And while I did get some fast food and driving lessons out of the deal, it all proved to be inconsequential.

Bella was right. We needed to try harder.

And believe me, when she came home, I was going to do everything I could to come up with the answer we needed.

But I was still waiting.

Bella had been gone for almost half an hour. _Strange_. I didn't think it took that long to clear one's head. Then again, Bella had been very upset. Seeing her fall to pieces like that broke my heart. She didn't deserve to be hurting. She deserved the world.

And damn it, I would give her the world even if it meant selling my soul to the devil himself.

When this mess was all over, we were going to come out on the other side. We could finally settle down and plan out the next chapter of our lives.

It wouldn't matter what that chapter included—just as long as we were together.

Suddenly, a gasp interrupted my thoughts. I turned and saw Alice holding a hand to her forehead, her eyes shut tightly.

Jasper moved closer to her so he could put his arm around her. "Sweetheart, what is it? What do you see?"

Ah yes—the visions. I had heard of Alice's abilities, but hadn't actually seen them occurring firsthand. Perhaps she saw something relating to our problem…maybe even what we needed to solve it! I couldn't help but smile at the thought.

But the look of horror on Alice's face quickly slammed the door shut on that possibility.

"What's wrong," I asked.

She looked at me, her lower lip trembling. "Bella."

That was all I needed to know.

I jumped off the couch and sprinted to the door, wrenching it open. Before I could get outside, however, Alice ran up behind me.

"Edward, wait. You need to hear more before you jump right in," she said frantically.

"No! I have to go now! Bella is trouble," I protested.

"I understand, but it's too dangerous to just go out without knowing what you're getting yourself into."

"Fine," I snapped. "What the hell is it?"

She motioned to Emmett and Jasper, and they walked over to us. "The guys need to come with you. You'll be outnumbered, otherwise."

_Outnumbered? Oh god…_

"So, there's more than one after her," I choked out.

She sucked in a deep breath and nodded.

I didn't wait to hear the rest. I bolted out the door, Emmett and Jasper close behind me.

"Guys, go left. She's in an alley not far from here," Alice shouted. "Hurry!"

My heart raced as I ran. I felt as though I was traveling through a dark tunnel, focusing only on that light at the end.

Bella.

Suddenly, a piercing scream filled the air, causing the three of us to jump. We stopped and looked at each other for a nanosecond before continuing on, quickening our pace.

"Emmett, you're lucky to be wearing that t-shirt," Jasper panted as he ran. "We could use that to our advantage."

I turned to see what Jasper was talking about. Stamped across the top of Emmett's shirt were the words 'Chicago Police Department.'

_Of course!_ I had forgotten that Emmett was about to become a police officer.

He chuckled. "Good thinking, man. We'll show those bastards who's boss!"

As we crossed the street, I heard another shriek. It sounded closer. My heart began to pound even faster, the adrenaline pumping through my veins.

Thump-thump, thump-thump.

Bel-la, Bel-la.

"Guys, look over there," Jasper said, pointing to a break in the houses along the street. "I think that's the alley." His guess was confirmed by the sound of glass breaking, followed by a quiet whimper.

"Oh no, Bella. Please, no," I shouted. Those assholes were not going to get away with this!

"Edward, what are you doing," Emmett asked. "They're gonna hear you. You're gonna get your ass kicked before we can even help Bella."

I growled. "Do you really think I give a shit? If I get my ass kicked, then it's one less beating she'll have to take." Again, I heard a whimper. "Bella no! Fight!"

Ten more steps, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one…

We rounded the corner just in time to see Bella get thrown to the ground by some shit-faced, sandy-haired guy.

_Motherfucker…_

"Police," Emmett shouted, putting on the most menacing face I've ever seen him wear. "Step away from the young lady or I'm going to have to introduce you to my friends, Smith and Wesson." To further prove his point, Emmett began reaching into his back pocket. I knew that he didn't really have a gun on him, but his bluff seemed to work. Two of the guys ran away, their eyes wide with fear. The sandy-haired asshole, however, stayed put next to Bella, who appeared to be unconscious.

I was gonna kill that fucking scumbag.

Without any concern as to what might happen to me, I let out a growl and charged forward. The guy got to his feet, a smirk on his face. But he didn't have a chance. He was messing with _my _girl. And if you messed with her, you messed with me.

"Son of a bitch," I yelled, running into him and knocking him to the ground.

He just laughed. "Let me guess, you must be Edward."

_What the fuck? _"How the hell did you know?"

"Just a lucky assumption. She said she was dating some guy named Edward, and that he was her boyfriend," he said, sneering the word 'boyfriend.'

"Bella mentioned me?" My heart fluttered at the thought.

He smirked again. "Oh, so that's her name. She never did mention it. But I like it. It's a good stripper name if you ask me."

That did it.

I let out another growl and punched him as hard as I could, hearing several cracks. To my amusement, he grunted in pain and his nose began to bleed. But this just revved me up even more. A broken nose was not enough to make up for what he did.

I began hitting him repeatedly. "You"—punch—"will never"—punch—"touch"—punch—"Bella"—punch—"again!"

By the time I was done, his face was drenched in blood, and he lay motionless on the ground. I stood up, planning to kick him for good measure, but someone held me back.

"Edward, c'mon," Emmett said, his iron grip tightening on me, "Killing someone isn't going to make things better. Remember why we're here." He looked off to the side, and I followed his gaze. Jasper was on the ground, tending to a still unconscious Bella. He had taken off his t-shirt and was holding it to the back of her head, which was bleeding.

Emmett was right.

I looked down at my hands—covered in the filthy mongrel's blood—and immediately felt sickened. I had been so wrapped up in getting back at him for what he did that I had forgotten what we had really come here to do: help Bella.

A strong wave of emotion hit me, and I collapsed to the ground, weeping uncontrollably. How could I have been such an idiot? Ripping another guy to shreds while my one true love lay bleeding nearby was unforgivable. I should have been there for her, should have taken care of her. What the hell kind of person was I?

I wasn't a person. I was a monster.

"Edward, pull yourself together," Jasper said quietly but firmly. "We've got to get Bella to the hospital. She's losing a lot of blood. Emmett will stay behind and deal with this asshole."

Emmett nodded and helped me up. "Yeah, man. You go be with Bella. This bitch is mine," he added, a playful sound to his voice. It was amazing how even under these horrible circumstances, he could still be relatively at ease.

Like I would do anything else. Bella was my everything. I might have lost sight of that in my murderous haze, but I never would again.

I would always stay by her side, and nothing was going to change that.

****

Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep.

_Stupid machine!_

It was just sitting there, mocking me—reminding me that Bella hadn't woken up.

The others were waiting in the hallway, leaving me alone with her. They probably figured that I wanted some time by myself.

They were right. I had a lot to think about.

We found out that Bella had a sprained wrist, two broken ribs, and a severe concussion. She also had some internal bleeding and needed stitches to close up the nasty cut on her cheek.

Because she lost so much blood, and because her head injury was so serious, the doctors said there was a chance she might not pull through.

And it was all my fault.

If Bella didn't make it, I would always feel guilty. I would always wonder if I hadn't been so intent on killing her attacker—if I had gotten her to the hospital quickly while Emmett and Jasper dealt with _him_—whether or not she would have had a better chance of living.

I should have insisted on going with her on her walk earlier. I wasn't comfortable with her wandering around in a big city alone, and yet, I let her go.

I was an irresponsible ass—an ass that only had a couple of days left to be alive.

There was no point in trying to figure things out now, though. Bella's condition was rapidly deteriorating. She was losing color, and her heart rate was slowly dropping.

_This wasn't right!_

Bella shouldn't be slipping away in the dawn of her life. She was so young, had so many years ahead of her.

She was supposed to grow up, graduate from high school, get married, have kids, and everything else that goes along with living life to the fullest. I wanted nothing less for her. After all, she was the love of my life.

But I didn't deserve to live.

After everything that occurred today, I realized that if I hadn't been given the opportunity to be human and have to figure out how to stay that way, Bella would never have gotten stressed out and gone for that fateful walk. She wouldn't be stuck in a hospital on the brink of death.

If I hadn't pursued Bella to begin with, none of this would have ever happened. Life would have taken its natural course. She would have ended up with someone else, and would have never been exposed to my harmful influence.

Though the thought of her being with another man sickened me, it would have been for the best. And I wanted Bella to have a shot at leading a normal life. I wanted her to be happy.

I reached over and gripped her hand tightly. "Please," I whispered, closing my eyes, "She doesn't deserve to be here in this horrible place. If there is a god, I beg of you: give her the life I couldn't have. Do with me what you want. Send me back to my lonely existence in the afterlife—I'll go willingly. I should never have gotten the chance to be human again, anyway. But just make things right. Let her live."

_Let her live._

I leaned down and kissed her still lips, my tears wetting her face. "Let her live," I whispered again. "She needs to live."

"And she will."

_What?_

I snapped my head up to find someone in the corner of the room, staring at me.

My mother had decided to pay me another visit.

She walked over to where I was seated and placed her hand on my shoulder. I shuddered at the unfamiliar tingly sensation, and wondered if this is what Bella felt when I was a ghost.

"Mom, what are you…"

"I came to deliver another message," she said, smiling widely. "That was a very noble thing you just said."

"You heard what I said?"

She chuckled softly. "Of course I did. And I'm happy to say that your request has been granted."

I gasped, and my gaze darted between her and Bella. "So, Bella's going to live?"

"Yes, she is…and so will you."

My stomach dropped. "Excuse me," I sputtered.

"Edward," she began, "Wanting to give your life for someone is one of the most selfless, admirable things you could do. I'm so very proud of you."

"So…"

"So, you did it. You solved it. That was the key."

I couldn't believe this was really happening. I had worked so hard to figure out how to stay human, and the answer was simpler than I thought.

"Wow. But that was so easy. I mean, all I had to do was say I'd die for her and…"

My mom shook her head, a small frown on her face. "Sweetheart, no. You couldn't have just said something like that out of the blue. Something needed to happen that would cause you to really mean what you said. Those words had to be genuine."

It was all clicking into place, the pieces of the puzzle interlocking in my mind. "So, Bella was supposed to wind up in the hospital? That's not exactly fair, you know." I was suddenly very angry. "I went through hell today, damn it! And all the while, this '_needed to happen?' _She was meant to get hurt? I was supposed to take a ride on the emotional rollercoaster? All of this was a test to see whether or not I'd be willing to give my life for her?"

She sighed and looked at me remorsefully. "Yes, and I feel truly awful for what you had to go through. But just look at Bella." I did as I was told, and to my pleasant surprise, a small hint of color was beginning to return to her cheeks. She was getting better already.

I couldn't help but smile. My mom glanced at me, and soon, I wasn't the only one smiling. "Wasn't all this turmoil worth it, Edward," she asked.

My mom was right. I guess sometimes, you have to go through life's trials and tribulations in order to get to where you want. And right now, here with Bella, there was no other place I'd rather be.

I looked up into my mom's smiling face and nodded. "If I get to spend forever with Bella, then of course it was worth it."

We fell silent for a few moments, taking in everything. Finally, my mom spoke up. "So, what are you feeling right now?"

I chuckled. "Well, after learning that I can, indeed, have a future with the woman I love, how do you think I feel?" She was quiet, waiting for me to go on. "I feel like a giant weight has been lifted off my shoulders, and now I'm just…free. The craziness and confusion is behind me.

"I feel incredibly lucky to have found someone as special as Bella. It can be so hard to find your soul mate in this world. For me to be able to be with her gives me the most wonderful feeling.

"But mostly, after ninety years of solitude, I've realized that I should never take a single thing for granted. I'm going to live each day to the fullest." I paused and focused my gaze on Bella. "And I'm so fortunate that she and I will be able to do that together."

There was, however, another thing that I was thinking about. My mom, always the perceptive one, picked up on it right away. "There's something else on your mind, isn't there?"

I smiled, almost sadly. "You're good."

"Well, I _am_ a mom," she said, a teasing tone to her voice. "What is it?"

"It's just, what happens now…with us, I mean? Now that I'm staying human, will you still visit us? Bella really wants to meet you. She told me."

My mom sat on the foot of the bed, facing me. "Edward, of course I'll visit you and Bella. I've stayed away long enough. But I want to give the two of you privacy. This is _your_ life, _your_ time." She took a deep breath. "I'll tell you what—how about you talk with Bella about it and let me know?"

"Let you know?"

"Yes, just call for me and I'll be there. Does that sound alright?"

I sighed. "Yeah. I'll miss you a lot, though."

"Oh sweetheart, I'll miss you, too. But I won't be far, I promise."

After a moment of comfortable silence, she stood up. "Well, I'd better be going. Your future awaits you," she said, gesturing to Bella.

I grinned widely, still in a state of disbelief. "Ok. And mom?"

"Yes?"

"Will the future be bright for Bella and me?"

"The brightest." She kissed my forehead softly and walked over to the corner where I first saw her. "Goodbye, sweetheart. I love you, and I'm so proud of you."

"Bye, mom. I love you, too," I whispered. She smiled at me one last time, then disappeared.

_Your future awaits you._

I had a future—a future with Bella!

Again, I had to say it. I was a lucky man.

Suddenly, I began to feel an odd sensation—odd, but not bad. Even though I was seated, it felt as though I was flying, not sinking into the ground and spinning like my transformation earlier in the week. And instead of being consumed by blackness, the whole room glowed. I felt very at peace, and could only assume that this was what made everything official.

This was the moment.

Everything was finally coming together, and I was giddy with excitement about it.

Then, all too soon, the magical sensation stopped, and the hospital room became its normal self again. But at that exact moment, I felt another sensation, one that I was almost certain I'd never experience again—Bella's fingers threading through mine and giving my hand a soft squeeze. A small smile was playing on her lips and I stared at her intently, waiting for her to open her eyes. Finally, after what seemed like forever, she did.

Bella blinked a few times, and as she locked eyes with me, the smile on her face grew. I loved that smile. It made her even more beautiful.

"I love you, Edward," she whispered.

I felt like I was flying all over again.

**Wow, what a chapter, eh? I was planning on having the confrontation and the hospital scene as separate chapters, but they would have been too short on their own. So I thought, why not condense? What did you think? Edward had to be willing to give his life for Bella in order for her to live…and in order for him to stay human. A few of you guys did guess correctly…kudos to you!**

**So unfortunately, the story is nearing its end. After this chapter, there will be two more plus the epilogue…so three total. This makes me sad, but it's gotta end somewhere. And hey, it's a happy ending, so what more could you ask for? **

**I will update ASAP. The next chapter will be back to Bella's point of view. We'll get to read about her reaction to the fact that Edward can stay human. And don't forget, I'm on Twilighted now, too. So feel free to check me out there as well.**

**Please read and review :-)**


	21. Never Tear Us Apart

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters. They all belong to the amazingly talented Stephenie Meyer.

_**Chapter 21: Never Tear Us Apart**_

Why wouldn't it end?

My head felt as though it was being pounded away at by a jackhammer. In addition to that, I couldn't see anything. The suffocating blackness was making it impossible to do so. Despite this, I knew that I was falling, the air rushing past my ears at an alarming speed. I thought my fall would come to an end eventually, but it didn't.

I was starting to get scared, and was kind of confused. Death was supposed to be easy, not strung out. I did expect the blackness for a couple of minutes. But after that, the heavens would open, the angels would appear, and I could move peacefully into my next life.

And if luck was on my side, then I'd get to see Edward again in a few days.

At the moment, however, I didn't consider myself very lucky. It felt like forever that I'd been trapped in this dark, horrible abyss.

Well, I guess I was wrong about it all along.

Dying sucked.

But I was so wrapped up in my thoughts that I didn't realize that something had changed. I wasn't falling anymore.

I was floating up.

Stunned, I turned my head this way and that, trying to figure out what was going on. It was still pitch black, but as I ascended, I could make out a small dot of light in the distance. And as I got closer to it, I could feel the temperature increasing. Immediately, a sense of ease and tranquility filled me up.

I could only guess that my struggle had finally come to an end.

Ok, so maybe dying didn't suck as much as I initially thought. Maybe a person had to experience that doom and gloom before finally being allowed eternal happiness. I had no idea.

But as long as Edward was going to be a part of that happiness, I guess I didn't mind going through the preliminary round of torture.

Suddenly, I became aware of something else. Even though I was alone, it felt as though my hand was being held. But if that was the case, wouldn't I see the person?

This was very odd. And yet, I still felt extremely calm. There was no sense of danger at all.

Only one person made me feel this safe, like nothing in the world could hurt me.

It had to be Edward.

_Did three days pass already?_ I was falling for quite a while, though, so they probably had. I mean, what other explanation could there be for what was happening right now?

I looked up and noticed that I was now very close to passing into that once distant spot of light. The realization made me smile, and I squeezed the hand that was still invisibly holding mine.

_Edward, I'm almost there,_ I thought to myself. _You won't have to wait much longer._

I took one last deep breath and slowly, the warm light welcomed me in…

****

It was well-worth the wait, let me tell you.

Every one of my senses seemed more alive than they ever had, and I felt an extreme amount of joy flowing through me. I blinked a few times to focus my vision, and to my delight, a familiar set of eyes was staring at me.

Of course, they belonged to Edward.

After being exposed to nothing but darkness for a long period of time, I started to forget just how vivid and bright his eyes were. I missed being pulled into the intensity of his gazes. But I didn't have to worry about getting separated from him anymore.

We were going to be together forever.

"I love you, Edward," I whispered, a big smile on my face.

His answering smile was positively radiant. "And I love _you_, Bella." He slowly began stroking my cheek with his free hand. "I was so worried, and so were the others. We all thought that you were going to leave us."

I leaned into his touch and sighed contentedly. "Well, I may not have made it, but you're here now. That's all that matters."

He frowned. "What are you talking about?"

"Well, I'm in heaven aren't I? And you're here with me, of course. Your time is up, right? It has to be. I mean, it felt like I was falling for the longest time, so…"

"Bella, no," he said, his eyes widening in shock. "I'm not dead…and neither are you. Just look around. Does this look like heaven to you?"

I did as I was told, and immediately realized that the plain, white walls and generic curtains in this room could not possibly be part of heaven. There was also an annoying beeping noise that was coming from next to my head. A sideways glance confirmed that the sound was coming from a heart rate monitor…and it was hooked up to me. I had a heart rate?!

I was…alive?

I shook my head, confused. "I can't believe this. I thought I was dying. Everything seemed to be pointing in that direction."

"You were close, I'll admit that," said Edward. "But it looks like fate had other plans."

The expression on his face made it look like there was more to it than just that, though. "Edward," I began, "Something's going on, isn't it?"

He sighed, closing his eyes. But when he opened them a few moments later, they were filled with tears. "Yes, Bella. Something huge has just happened."

"What? What is it?"

But instead of answering, he jumped to his feet and ran to the door. "Hold on. I want to tell all of you together."

All of us? What?

Not five seconds later, my friends walked into the room. When they saw that I was up, they rushed to my bedside quickly. Alice, however, was quicker.

"Bella," she squealed, tears running down her face, "You're awake!" She pushed her way through everyone and hugged me tightly. However, a pain in my ribs made me cry out in the process.

Edward flew to my side in response and practically bulldozed her out of the way. "Alice, her injuries," he snapped, gently taking my hand and rubbing soothing circles on it with his thumb.

She hung her head apologetically. "I'm so sorry, Bella. I forgot."

"It's alright," I replied, giving her a reassuring smile. "What injuries do I have exactly?"

"Well, a couple of your ribs are broken, your left wrist is sprained, you've got a cut on your cheek, and you have a bad concussion," Edward explained quietly.

A concussion? Well, that would explain the jackhammer sensation.

"Wow," I mouthed. "I can't believe I actually lived through that."

"I can," Emmett said, his usual loud self. "You're a tough bitch and you don't take anyone's shit." Strangely, there was a harsh edge to his statement. And he was pretty much never mean.

But I suddenly remembered my cruel words to him earlier, and immediately felt awful. "Emmett, I never did apologize for what I said before." I paused and took a deep breath. "I am so incredibly sorry. I was just so angry and stressed out, and I snapped. If there's anything I can do to make it up to you, just let me know. But please forgive me."

Emmett's face brightened considerably, and he patted my leg. "Hey, it's alright, Bella. I forgive you. But there is one thing I'd like you to do for me if you don't mind," he said, a devious look in his eyes.

I didn't like where he was going, but I decided to agree anyway. "Sure, Emmett. What is it?"

"Well, Miss Swan," he said, standing up straight and adding a fake British accent to the mix, "Would you allow me to serenade you?"

As I expected, everyone groaned. Who could forget the off-key vocal stylings of Mr. Emmett McCarty? But if it made him happy…

"Alright. Why the hell not?"

"Yes!" He scooted onto the bed next to me and draped his arm around my shoulders. "Do you like INXS?"

"Yeah, they're pretty cool." Personally, I couldn't see how Emmett could possibly top Michael Hutchence, but he was certainly going to try. "What'd you have in mind?"

He didn't answer. He simply cleared his throat and began.

_Don't ask me_

_What you know is true_

_Don't have to tell you_

_I love your precious heart…_

Ah, so he was pulling out the big guns. 'Never Tear Us Apart' was probably one of their best songs.

_I, I was standing_

_You were there_

_Two worlds collided_

_And they could never tear us apart_

_We could live_

_For a thousand years_

_But if I hurt you_

_I'd make wine from your tears_

_I told you_

_That we could fly_

'_Cause we all have wings_

_But some of us don't know why-y-y-y-y-y-y_

_I was standing_

_You were there_

_Two worlds collided_

_And they could never, ever tear us apart_

To my amusement, Emmett even included the big saxophone solo in his performance, jumping off the bed and prancing around the room with great enthusiasm. After that, he finished off the song with some exaggerated gestures before finally falling silent.

I decided to give him the benefit of the doubt and clap for him. After all, if I didn't, then no one else would.

"Bravo," I shouted. Everyone else was rolling their eyes and shaking their heads, but Emmett didn't seem to notice them. He was eating up my recognition, sinking into several low bows.

"Alright," Edward interrupted, sitting back down next to me, "Well done, Emmett. But if you remember, I had something important to tell you all."

"Oh yeah, that's right. What was it," Rosalie asked.

He inhaled deeply, and his eyes welled up like before. "Well, I…I…"

The suspense was killing me. "Love, what's going on," I probed, taking his hand.

Edward's eyes bored into mine as the tears fell down his cheeks. "I did it."

"Did what," asked Jasper, frowning. Everyone else had similar confused looks on their faces.

But suddenly, comprehension dawned on me. Over what else could Edward be so emotional?

He had solved our puzzle. There was no doubt in my mind.

I began to cry along with him, and pulled him into a tight embrace, ignoring the pain in my ribs. "I love you so much," I whispered.

"I love you, too, Bella—with all my heart," he replied, burying his face in my hair.

Alice cleared her throat. "Um, will someone please tell me what's going on?"

I half-chuckled at her impatience. "Edward figured it all out. He solved it," I said, caressing his cheek before looking at our friends. "He's going to stay human."

They all gasped and began talking at the same time. I couldn't make sense of anything that was being said. It was actually quite comical.

"Hey," Edward shouted, "Simmer down! Let me explain, alright?"

"Sorry, Edward," Alice said excitedly. "Go on."

"Well, it was quite unexpected, really. At that point, I had pretty much given up on trying to find a solution. Bella, you were getting worse, and I felt completely awful. I mean, if I hadn't become human again, you would have never ended up in the hospital…" He trailed off, his emotions getting the better of him.

I squeezed his hand. "Edward, stop. You know that I would have been far worse off had you not become human. Those experiences were some of the best I've ever had. Plus, well, you all know how klutzy I am. Who's to say that I wouldn't have ended up here on my own?"

We all shared a laugh, then Edward continued. "Ok, point taken. But let me just say that that particular moment was one of the lowest of my existence. I was just sitting here, wishing that it was _me_ dying, not you. You didn't deserve such a horrible fate. All I wanted was for you to lead a long, happy life. So I prayed. I prayed that you could do just that, and if I was sent back to the afterlife in exchange for it, then so be it."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Everything that we had fought so hard for was now ours. And all it took was for Edward to wish that he was the one dying in my place?

I was incredibly touched. But it was heartbreaking to hear what Edward was thinking at the time. I wished that he didn't have to experience such pain.

"But it was after all this, however, that things got interesting," he explained. "I received a visit from someone." _Oh god, was it… _"My mother."

As I expected, there was a sharp intake of breath from everyone. "Your mother," asked Rosalie. "But she's…"

"Dead. Yes," he finished. "But she came to deliver the good news."

Emmett snorted. "Well damn, how did I miss this?"

I sighed, frustrated. "I was wondering the same thing. Another lost opportunity for Bella."

"Oh, love," Edward said, chuckling, "Don't worry. She wants to meet you. And she said that whenever we'd like to se her, she'll be there." He turned to address everyone. "I'm sure she'd like to meet you all, too. So you're more than welcome to be with us when she visits."

To my delight, they were all very enthusiastic about that idea. And of course, Alice was the most excited of the group.

"Oh my god, this is going to be so great," she shrieked. "I'm going to have to pick her brain, ask some questions, perhaps…"

"No, Alice," we all protested. By this time, all of us knew of her obsession with ghosts. And though I supported her interests (well, I was trying to), we were talking about Edward's family. That was off-limits.

Alice huffed loudly, but didn't press the issue. At that moment, however, a nurse walked in, smiling brightly.

"Good, Isabella! It's nice to see that you're awake."

I rolled my eyes at her use of my full name. "It's Bella," I corrected.

"Oh sorry, Bella. Well anyway, since you're up, would you like to see your dad? He just arrived a minute ago."

My friends and I all looked at each other, grinning. Well, they were grinning. I started to cry.

"Honey, are you ok," the nurse asked.

She had no idea.

It was all beginning to hit me. I was surrounded by every single person that I loved…and who loved me. How I'd been so blessed to fall in with this wonderful group, I'll never know. But I was so grateful for it.

I turned to face Edward, who looked as though he was ready to start crying again, too. There were no more roadblocks, no more puzzles. That was all in the past. But _he_ was my future, and he wasn't going anywhere.

And one of the best parts of all this?

Edward could finally meet Charlie.

I blew my nose. "Oh yeah, I'm fine. Sorry. I'm just happy my dad's here. Please bring him in."

After the nurse walked out, I glanced at my friends before finally resting my gaze on Edward. "It's time."

He nodded and threaded his fingers through mine. "Yes."

Not a moment later, Charlie walked in, exhaling in relief when he saw me. "Oh, thank god," he said breathlessly, rushing forward and giving me a hug. "Are you alright? I found a note on the counter saying that you'd been hurt, and I came here as fast as I could."

I winced slightly at the pain, but stuck it out. "I'm fine now, dad."

He growled. "I swear, whoever did this to you is going to pay! I'll make sure of that."

"Not to worry, chief," Emmett said, snickering. "Douche bag's all booked and ready to go. As soon as we get Bella's side, he doesn't stand a chance."

Charlie cracked a small smile. "Thanks, McCarty. You did good today."

Of course, Emmett had to act like a total cheese ball. "All in a day's work, sir," he said, flexing his muscles.

Everyone laughed, and Charlie turned back to me. "Bells, you do know that you'll have to testify in order for this guy to be locked up, right? Will you be ok?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine," I replied, surprisingly calm. "Just as long as you all are there to support me." I smiled up at my friends hopefully.

"Of course, Bella," Alice said, placing her hand on my shoulder. "We wouldn't miss it."

This time, Charlie's big grin lit up his face. "Thanks, Alice. It's nice to know Bella's able to count on you. And hey, I also want to thank the rest of you for all your help today. If you hadn't been there, I don't know…" he trailed off, his voice cracking.

Rosalie patted him on the back. "It was no problem, Charlie. Bella's like family to us. And we protect our family."

He cleared his throat and wiped his eyes quickly, obviously not wanting to let on that he'd been crying. My dad never was big on showing emotion. "That's very sweet of you to say. Thank you. Thank you all."

Charlie looked around, nodding at each person in appreciation. But then, he turned his attention to Edward. "Who are you," he asked, narrowing his eyes.

Edward and I smiled at each other, and he squeezed my hand, his face filled with excitement. This meeting was long overdue, and we were more than ready for it.

After all, he and I had nothing to hide now.

"Dad, I'd like you to meet my boyfriend, Edward."

**Aww, so cute! I was crying during the final proofread. It's all coming together for Edward and Bella. Now, they can finally just start living :-)**

**You gotta love Emmett and his serenades! As you could probably guess, I'm an INXS fan. If you don't know of them…look 'em up! **

**Yeah, I'm kind of having a mental block day, so this isn't going to be a huge author's note LOL. But please read and review. I'll update ASAP. Only two chapters left! **


	22. Lucky

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters. They all belong to the amazingly talented Stephenie Meyer.

**A/N: Hola, everyone! Just so you guys know, this chapter skips ahead one month to a very special celebration. I hope you all like it.**

_**Chapter 22: Lucky**_

_Don't be nervous. Don't be nervous. Don't be nervous._

I kept chanting that over and over in my mind as I lay in bed. Even though I knew I was being silly, I couldn't help it.

After all, today was no ordinary day.

It was September 13th—my 18th birthday.

I hated birthdays, anyway. The whole concept of streamers, singing, and balloons was completely ridiculous to me. But I was especially not looking forward to this one. Since Alice had moved in with us to be closer to Jasper (she had already turned 18, so she was entitled), she was now making her livewire personality known in every aspect of our lives. Nothing was spared from her influence.

For example, she decided one day that Charlie's bathroom needed a bit of sprucing up. And by 'sprucing up,' I mean pink…lots of pink! Of course, Alice can charm the socks off of anyone, and she quickly convinced Charlie that the change was a necessity.

So as you could probably imagine, I was more than a little worried that she'd throw me a birthday party from hell.

I groaned as I got up and trudged downstairs. Seeing as how September 13th just happened to be on a Saturday, Alice probably had the whole day planned with cheesy activities. _Hoo boy. _But surprisingly, when I reached the bottom of the stairs, Alice didn't ambush me with a present like I thought she would. Actually, the house was eerily quiet. And even more surprisingly, there wasn't a party decoration in sight.

"Hello," I called out.

"In here, Bells," Charlie replied.

I walked slowly to the kitchen, bracing myself for his traditional birthday bear hug. But instead, I found him sitting alone at the table with a cup of coffee, reading the paper.

"Hey, dad."

"Morning, Bells," he said, not even glancing up. "Sleep good?"

What? No birthday greeting? This was very odd to say the least.

"Yeah, I slept alright." I frowned, starting to get kind of confused. My birthday was never forgotten, and even though I truly didn't like celebrating it, I was a little hurt that my dad didn't even mention it.

Perhaps he needed a hint. "So, great day, huh?" I smiled at the sun streaming through the window to make my act more convincing.

"I'll say. The Mariners beat the Cubs last night! I mean, I know we live in Chicago and all, but I'd still pick Seattle over them any day."

Ok, seriously? This was Charlie's idea of a great day—hearing that the Mariners won?

"Great," I said, feigning enthusiasm. I decided to switch to another topic I was curious about. "Do you know where Alice is?"

"Oh, she went to go spend the morning with Jasper. I swear, those two crazy kids just can't seem to get enough of each other." He chuckled. "So it's just you and me for now, Bells."

What the fuck? Not even Alice—my best friend—seemed to care enough to stick around and wish me a happy birthday.

I shook my head in disbelief and went to pour myself some cereal, opting to eat at the counter rather than the table. In short, I was more than a little pissed off. This was quickly turning into 'Sixteen Candles: The Sequel,' and I didn't like it one bit.

After I finished eating, I showered and changed, then decided that I should start on some homework. But it was really no use; I couldn't concentrate. I mean, I had been staring at the same damn page in my history book for twenty minutes. Frustrated, I slammed my book shut and stomped to the fridge to get a bottle of water.

"Bells, are you ok," Charlie called from the living room.

I sucked in a deep breath. "Yup, just peachy."

"Really? You don't sound, um, 'peachy?'"

That did it.

I stormed over to where he was and shut off the TV. "Gee, dad, why wouldn't I be peachy?"

He raised an eyebrow at me. "Uh, I don't know. But whatever's on your mind, Bells, you can tell me."

I pinched the bridge of my nose between my thumb and forefinger. "Dad, do you have any idea as to what day it is?"

"Saturday?"

"Damn it," I shouted. But I waited a few moments to calm down before I spoke again. "Dad, it's September 13th…my birthday. Don't tell me you forgot."

A sly smile crept across his face. "No, I didn't forget."

What? "Well, if you didn't forget, then why…"

_Ding-dong_

"Bells, could you get that?"

"Huh?"

"Please?"

I rolled my eyes, but walked over and pulled the door open.

"Surprise!!!"

Let's just say that if I woke up tied to a chair, I wouldn't be as surprised as I was at that moment.

Standing on the porch, arms laden with gifts, were my friends.

My mouth popped open in shock and I stood, gaping at them for a few seconds. They all chuckled at the expression on my face.

"Well, I think it's safe to say that she's surprised," Jasper stated, grinning widely.

"But, I…I thought y-you forgot," I stuttered.

Alice snickered. "Come on, Bella. How could we possibly forget?"

I turned to Charlie to see his reaction to all this. Strangely, he looked very smug. "Dad, did you know about this?"

He and my friends simply began to laugh. That tipped me off. "Assholes," I muttered, making them laugh even harder.

"It was so hard for me to not tell you anything, Bells," Charlie admitted. "But Alice said she'd rip my head off if I did."

"Because I see all," she said menacingly. He chuckled, probably thinking that it was a joke. Oh, if only he really knew…

"So, are you going to let us in or what," Emmett asked.

"Yeah, Bella," Rosalie added, "We've got us a birthday to celebrate!"

I sighed and looked at my friends' smiling faces. But I saved the best face for last.

Edward's eyes sparkled with excitement when my gaze finally rested upon him. "Please, love? We certainly can't let the presents and cake go to waste," he said, stepping forward to take my hand.

I was so proud of him. He had re-adjusted to human life very well. Jasper had helped him get a job at the pizza place where he worked, so money wasn't an issue. Edward was even taking his senior year of high school with us. But of course, since 'Edward Masen' technically died in 1918, a few changes had to be made. The story that we told everyone—Charlie included—was that he was Alice's cousin. He had lived in Chicago with his parents, but they died in a car crash last year. So he moved in with his best friend, Emmett, and has been staying there ever since. Amazingly, Charlie bought the story.

Edward also, in keeping with the charade, had to change his last name to Cullen. Alice took care of all the, um, _documents_ herself—his birth certificate, license, school transcripts, etc. I had no idea how she was connected with the forgery crowd, but I didn't ask. I just kept myself out of that issue altogether.

As for Charlie's reaction to finding out I had a boyfriend, he was very surprised to say the least. Unfortunately, for the first couple of weeks after my stay in the hospital, he had assumed the role of overprotective dad, always hovering when Edward came by. But as time went on, he slowly began getting used to him—emphasis on the word 'slowly.'

"Bella?" Edward's voice brought me back to reality. "Please," he asked, giving me the puppy dog eyes. Ugh, he knew I couldn't resist that. This totally wasn't fair…

"Fine, come on in," I said, sighing and gesturing inside.

Excitedly, they all pushed their way into the foyer, chattering amongst themselves. But Edward and I stayed silent, doing nothing except for staring lovingly at each other. After a few seconds, he put his present on the floor and pulled me into a tight hug.

"Happy birthday, love," he whispered, stepping back slightly to kiss my forehead.

I closed my eyes and rested my head against his chest, listening to his heart. _Beautiful._ "Thanks," I replied dreamily. "So, how overboard did Alice go? Do I want to know?"

He chuckled softly. "Well, she wouldn't be Alice if she didn't go a little overboard. But all-in-all, I really think you're going to like your stuff. At least, I hope you do."

Oddly, there seemed to be a tad bit of nervousness in his voice, but I shrugged it off. "Well, I can't promise anything when it comes to _her_ stuff. But I knew I'll love whatever you got me."

Edward smiled widely and drew me in closer to him again. "Ah, Bella…" He began leaning in towards me, his hand cupping my cheek. My breathing picked up and my eyes fluttered shut in anticipation. But just before his lips could touch mine, someone cleared their throat loudly.

Ugh, stupid Charlie.

I guess overprotective dad hadn't left the building just yet.

"Hey kids, sorry to interrupt." _Psh, sure you are._ "Anyway, we're setting up the cake in the other room, so anytime you're ready…"

"Yup. Sure, dad." He smiled and walked back into the kitchen, a very smug bounce in his step.

I sighed and looked at Edward, who appeared to be equally disappointed. "Sorry about that."

He snorted and shook his head. "Don't worry. I guess I'm not surprised."

"You're coming over later though, right?" Since Rosalie often stayed over at Emmett's, and since we couldn't do anything during the day without getting cockblocked by Charlie, Edward snuck through my window every night. We'd spend the time talking, laughing, and doing…other things. We tried to keep quiet, but of course, that just wasn't possible sometimes. It's those moments when I'm glad my dad's a heavy sleeper.

"Bella, you don't even have to ask," he replied, taking my hand and leading me towards the kitchen. "I'd never say no to a night with you."

As usual, I blushed, causing him to lean over and kiss my cheek. "Adorable," he said quietly.

I was beginning to drift into my Edward haze, which was probably what he wanted to happen in the first place. It was providing a nice distraction from the impending craziness of my birthday celebration. But that blissful haze quickly went away when we stepped into the kitchen. All of our friends and Charlie were surrounding the cake, which was lit with candles and ready to go. Immediately, they began singing.

_Happy birthday to you_

_Happy birthday to you_

_Happy birthday dear Bella_

_Happy birthday to you_

I looked at the ground the entire time, embarrassed. Edward seemed to pick up on this, and he came up behind me to wrap his arms around my waist. When the song ended, I felt his lips at my ear.

"Make a wish," he whispered.

But honestly, I couldn't. It had been so easy to come up with something to wish for on each of my previous birthdays. Now, however, it was impossible. There was nothing to wish for. I had everything that I could ever want. I had Charlie, my friends, and of course, I had Edward. If I lost everything else, I'd be completely content in knowing that these people were still in my life.

It _was_ tradition, though. I decided to just go generic.

_I wish to have a happy, healthy future._

Quickly, I blew out the candles, and everyone cheered. "Alright, you know what this means," Alice said excitedly. "It's time to eat!"

Emmett pumped his fist into the air as she cut the cake. "Hell yes! I want a big piece. I want a big piece…"

We all laughed and Jasper punched Emmett's shoulder playfully. "Em, it's Bella's birthday. She should get first dibs, man."

"Fine, be that way," he huffed, folding his arms across his chest. But this was Emmett we were talking about; he couldn't stay pouty for long. He winked at me, then gestured to the cake to encourage me to take a piece.

I was pleasantly surprised to find that it was an ice cream cake…chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream to be specific. And when life hands you a cookie dough ice cream cake, you'd be an idiot to turn it down!

As we sat and ate, we fell into easy conversation, talking about school, work, and whatever else was on our minds. It was during this time that I noticed Edward staring at me, his face amused.

"What is it," I asked, my mouth full of cake and ice cream.

He chuckled. "Nothing. You're just incredibly cute when you eat."

I blushed and swallowed, feeling self-conscious about the fact that I'd been practically shoveling the food into my mouth. "Uh, thanks I guess."

I saw that Edward was toying with a small piece of cake on his plate, looking between that and my face. A speculative look was in his eyes. "Bella, can I try…uh…" He maneuvered the piece onto his fork and held it out hesitantly.

Admittedly, I almost laughed at his uncertainty. This is how he always went about things when he wanted to try something new—asking my permission first. It was adorable.

"Sure." I glanced at Charlie, who unfortunately was watching the two of us like a hawk. _He is not going to ruin this for me!_ I shot him a death glare and turned back to Edward, who smiled and scooted closer to me so he could feed me the small piece of cake.

As I chewed, Edward kept his eyes on my face the whole time. But after glancing down for a moment, he began to laugh. "Love, you have a huge blob of frosting on the corner of your mouth."

_Stupid Bella._ "Great," I muttered, grabbing a napkin.

"No, no. I'll get it," he said, a mischievous smile on his face. Slowly, he leaned forward and kissed the area with the frosting, letting his tongue dart out slightly to lick it up.

_Ungh, he knew just what to do to me._ I closed my eyes and giggled when his lips lingered on the spot a little longer than usual.

"Ahem."

_Crap._

I looked up to find everyone staring at us—their eyebrows raised—and I couldn't help but laugh. It was so easy for Edward and me to get wrapped up in our own little world. "Sorry, guys. We just, uh…"

"Got carried away," Edward finished, looking rather flustered.

Emmett grinned widely. "Well hey, don't apologize. It's no problem. I'm happy to see that you guys _enjoyed_ yourselves." My friends and I whipped our heads around to silently caution him. Words were a very trivial thing right now.

His eyes widened. "The cake, I mean. I'm happy to see that you enjoyed the cake. I don't know what I was talking about before." Emmett laughed nervously, but his cover up didn't seem to be getting him anywhere. Charlie was staring at him in disapproval.

I decided that maybe a change in subject was in order. "So, who's ready for presents, huh? Gosh, I don't think I can wait much longer. How about you guys go get set up and I'll put everything away in here?"

"Good idea," Alice added. "Let's go. Charlie, you coming?"

He threw one more suspicious glance our way, then followed Alice, Jasper, and Rosalie into the living room. I exhaled in relief as I began to clean up, and was amused to see that Edward and Emmett did the same.

"Damn, that was close. Thanks for saving me, Bella," Emmett said.

I snorted. "Well, don't get used to it. If you weren't such a nice guy, I'd beat your ass for saying what you did."

To my surprise, Emmett actually blushed. "Yeah, well, I _am_ sorry for saying that shit in front of Charlie. I'll try not to do it again, but I can't make any promises. I mean, you're talkin' to the king of all things dirty!"

We laughed, and Emmett slung his arm around Edward's shoulders. "I am curious, though—how did that _frosting_ taste? Sweet?"

Edward walked over and wrapped his arms around me. "Like sugar." His eyes locked into mine, glowing with excitement.

_Three words: I want you._

I stared right back at him, the corners of my mouth turning up into a coy smile. "Emmett, would you mind if I spoke with Edward alone?"

He shook his head. "Nope. Have fun," he sang out, making 'fun' sound like two syllables.

After he left, I practically assaulted Edward's face with kisses, making him laugh. "What happened? Did the horny fairies visit you?"

"Horny fairies…what the hell?" I laughed along with him. "But no, they didn't. You're just too cute sometimes. Besides, I don't think I need an excuse to kiss my boyfriend."

However, at the mention of the word 'boyfriend,' a nervous look crossed his face again. _Hmm, this was the second time today that he appeared to be nervous…but why?_

"So, they're probably waiting. Shall we go open presents," I suggested, trying to sound as enthusiastic as I could at the thought of all those gifts.

"Alright." He took my hand and we walked to the living room. But oddly, his nerves didn't seem to go away…and that was making _me_ nervous.

And I could only hope that whatever it was passed soon.

****

Surprisingly, I enjoyed all my gifts. Of course, my new Jimmy Choos and Louis Vuitton bag from Alice and Rosalie were a little over the top, but I guess I didn't expect anything less from them. I wasn't really sure when I'd find an occasion to use these things, but hey, it's the thought that counts.

Emmett and Jasper both pitched in and bough me a Guitar Hero of my own, which I loved, of course. After I thanked them, I told Emmett that he was totally falling into a trap. Buying this merely gave me more opportunities to beat him at it!

Charlie went simple—which was kind of a relief—and got me some music. I had recently become obsessed with Muse, and was treated to all four of their CDs.

As you could imagine, I was very excited to see what Edward got me, and I was not disappointed. He knew about my love of Jane Austen. But believe it or not, I didn't own any of her books. And so, like the amazing man that he is, he bought me a boxed set of some of her most famous novels: _Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice, Mansfield Park, _and _Emma_.

It was the perfect gift, a great compliment to—I'll admit—a great birthday. But there was one thing missing from all this: Edward's happy attitude.

Ever since I began opening my presents, he'd been extremely quiet, barely uttering a word. When I opened his gift and thanked him, all I got was a weak hug in return. And half the time, he seemed to be staring into space. Finally, I had it. I needed to know what was going on.

"Edward," I began, squeezing his hand, "Are you alright?"

He drew in a shaky breath and closed his eyes. "Please, love. Tell me what's wrong," I pressed. But Edward stayed silent, letting my request fade into the air. I turned to face everyone. "Guys, what do you think is happening?"

"Hell if I know," Rosalie said, shrugging her shoulders.

Jasper shook his head. "Yeah, I have no idea." He walked over to where Edward was sitting and squatted down next to him. "Man, what is it? You can tell me." But it didn't look like Jasper was having much luck with him either.

I decided to try again. "Edward? Hello?" I waved my hand in front of his face and sighed. "Ok, enough is enough! I'm trying to figure out what's going on in that head of yours, but you're making it extremely difficult. I just…I don't know…" My speech was getting me nowhere, so I stood up. "Just forget it. I'm going to put my gifts in my room."

I began to walk away, when suddenly, I felt someone grab my hand. I turned around and found that Edward was standing very close to me. He stared at the ground, drawing patterns on my hand with his fingers. But finally, after what seemed like forever, his eyes met mine. "Bella," he whispered.

"Yes?"

Edward took a deep breath, and what happened next nearly made me faint.

Without breaking eye contact, he took a small step backward and slid down onto one knee.

So _this _was most likely what he had been so nervous about.

I gasped, and so did everyone else. "Edward, what are you…"

"Bella, please," he interrupted, "Let me do this."

_Ok, remember to breath._ I nodded hurriedly, shaking like a leaf.

He inhaled deeply again and began. "Isabella Marie Swan, from the moment you came into my life, I knew there was something special about you. Your beauty, intelligence, kindness—it all drew me in, and I was hooked right away. I never imagined that I'd ever feel so strongly about anyone. But then, there you were, like my own personal angel. And in this past month, I realized something. There are many things in this world that I could live without, but I simply cannot live without you."

When he reached into his pocket and pulled out a ring, I almost fainted again. It was simple, but incredibly beautiful—a white gold band complete with a small diamond. He then looked back up at me, his eyes smoldering. "I love you so much, Bella, and I promise to always love you. Will you marry me, and allow me the privilege of spending forever with you?"

Admittedly, I was a little shocked that he chose today to propose. I mean, I knew that I was going to marry him someday, so this wasn't coming at me completely from left field. Still, was I ready for marriage at this point in my life?

Yes. Yes I was.

I took a moment and attempted to compose myself. My tears were making it difficult to form a coherent sentence. But finally, I gave him my answer.

"Edward Cullen," I said, mentally congratulating myself for remembering to use the new last name, "I'm surprised that you even have to ask. Of course I'll marry you."

He beamed up at me triumphantly and slowly slid the ring onto my finger. The next thing I knew, I was in his arms and he was kissing me with everything he had. I was vaguely aware of our friends cheering and clapping, but I paid them no attention. This moment belonged to Edward and me, and nothing could spoil it.

"Hold it!"

Well, almost nothing.

I pulled away from Edward, and my eyes narrowed at the sight of Charlie standing next to us. He had his arms crossed and was wearing an expression of similar distaste.

"Bella, there's absolutely no way you're getting married!"

"Excuse me," I sputtered.

"You heard me! You're way too young for this," he replied.

I snorted. "Uh, dad, in case you didn't notice, today's my birthday. And it's not just any birthday, either. I'm 18 today dad. I'm legally an adult now, and I can make my own decisions."

"Nope," he countered. "Not while you're living under my roof."

"Is that how it is, then? Should I start packing my things now or should I wait 'till tomorrow?"

Charlie's face crumpled. "Bells, you know I don't want you to move out. I just think you might be rushing into things. I mean, you haven't dated anyone before Edward. People don't just marry the first person they date. And if they do, it just…doesn't work out."

It was obvious that we weren't just talking about me anymore. Charlie had married my mom right out of high school, and, well, look at how that ended up.

I wrapped an arm around his waist. "But dad, it doesn't _always_ work like that. You can't tell me that there hasn't been at least one couple out there that didn't find happiness with each other at a young age."

My dad opened his mouth to respond, but Edward beat him to it. "Sir, I'd like to put in my two cents if you don't mind."

He rolled his eyes, but didn't object. Edward took that as a 'yes' and spoke. "Mr. Swan, I just want you to know that I've put quite a bit of thought into this. Marriage is not a joke to me. I wouldn't have asked for Bella's hand unless I intended on making good on all the promises a union like this entails. Bella is—as you already know—an amazing woman. Her well-being is, and always will be my number one priority. I promise you that." He paused briefly to raise my hand to his lips and kiss it softly before continuing. "So, will you give us your blessing, sir?"

Charlie sighed. "Bella," he said quietly, "Is this what you want? Will this make you happy?"

I turned to look at Edward. His eyes were filled with love and absolute sincerity. How could this wonderful man not make me happy? "Yes, dad. There's nothing I want more than to spend the rest of my life with Edward."

"Well, as long as you're ok with it, then I guess I am, too." He stepped in front of Edward and somewhat hesitantly held out his hand. "So, I suppose congratulations are in order," he grunted. "But if you ever hurt her…"

"Never," Edward broke in fervently. "I will never hurt her."

To my surprise, Charlie actually managed a small smile. "Good. Now why don't you go tell your friends the news? I'm sure they're curious to find out what came out of our little chat," he said with a chuckle.

I whipped my head around to find that they were nowhere to be found. "Um, where are they?"

"In the kitchen, I'd say. They left right when we started talking to your dad, probably to give us some privacy," Edward explained.

"Well then, let's go," I replied, bursting with glee.

Edward smiled and put his arm around my shoulders. "Someone's excited," he said, walking with me to the other room.

"Of course I am. I think any girl would be if she was going to be marrying you."

Suddenly, he stopped and cradled my face in his hands. "But there's only one girl that I want." Then, very slowly, he leaned down and kissed me softly.

I sighed happily and tried to deepen the kiss, but Edward pulled away. "Oh, Bella," he said, gently stroking my cheek, "We'll never make it to the kitchen if we do that. Don't you want to tell our friends what's going on?"

"No, not anymore." I attempted to kiss him again, but he stopped me…again.

"Bella…"

"Ok, what the hell?" I looked to make sure that Charlie wasn't nearby. Thankfully, he had taken up his favorite spot on the sofa and was watching TV. "Who are you, my dad?"

He laughed and we resumed walking. "No, I'm just eager to share our good news. But not to worry. I fully intend on making it up to you tonight," he whispered.

Who was I to argue with that? "Tonight? Well, I'm going to hold you to that, you know."

"Oh, I know," said Edward, winking slyly at me. "And I can guarantee that you won't be disappointed."

_Hell to the yeah!_

When we reached the kitchen, we found everyone sitting at the table, talking animatedly. But as soon as they saw us, they fell silent.

"So," Alice asked, practically bouncing up and down in her seat.

Edward and I wrapped our arms around each other, grinning hugely. After a few moments, I turned to face her.

"We're getting married."

**Aww, wasn't it cute? I had so much fun writing this chapter. Just as a note, the ring that Edward gives Bella is one that he bought on his own. I thought it might be sweeter if he gave her something that came directly from him. And if you recall from Chapter 7, he said that his parents always told him it would be more worthwhile if he worked for something, himself. So…he did! Speaking of parents…of course I had to write in overprotective Charlie LOL. But as you know, he came around! So, because of the events of this chapter, you all can probably guess what the epilogue's going to be. It's wedding/honeymoon time, my friends! I've got some ideas about that rolling around in my head; I just hope it all turns out alright.**

**As for the musical references in the chapter, the Muse thing is exactly what happened to me. After I heard 'Supermassive Black Hole' on the Twilight soundtrack, I was hooked. I now own their two most recent CDs! And the title of the chapter—'Lucky'—is a song by Jason Mraz feat. Colbie Callait. I thought it seemed appropriate.**

**I will update as soon as I can. Make sure you have some tissues handy for our final installment :-) In the meantime, please read and review! **


	23. Epilogue: What A Wonderful World

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters. They all belong to the amazingly talented Stephenie Meyer.

**A/N: Hello all :-) As a heads up, this chapter skips ahead nine months to the following summer. Included in this final installment is something of everything: laughter, love, and of course, lemonade! I'll save the rest of my author's note for the end, but in the meantime, I give you…the epilogue.**

_**Epilogue: What A Wonderful World**_

"Bella, stop squirming!"

"Well, you're pulling my hair."

Alice rolled her eyes. "Ugh, can you at least try to be a good sport?"

"No, not when there's pain involved."

"Always so stubborn," she muttered. "Well, I don't know. Just…try to think about something happy. Think about Edward."

Done.

Thinking about Edward always made me feel better when I was nervous or scared, or in this case, in pain from Alice working on my hair. But I trusted that all this discomfort was going to be worth it. It just had to be.

Today, I was getting married.

By this afternoon, I would be Bella Cullen.

Alice had woken me up early to start her work, my hair being the first item on her to-do list. From the looks of things, it was done up in some kind of complicated twist, with curly tendrils framing my face.

Thankfully, she seemed to be close to finishing, and after one last spritz of hairspray, she stepped back. "Aw, Bella, you look like a princess."

I chuckled. "Well, I had better after the torture you put me through."

"Oh, Bella," Alice said, starting to work on my makeup, "It wasn't torture and you know it."

Suddenly, the bathroom door opened, and Rosalie walked in wearing her aqua blue bridesmaid dress. "Hey, ladies! The backyard's all set for the reception, and everything's in order at the church. The boys just arrived there."

"What? Already?"

"Well, your hair did take a couple of hours to perfect," Alice explained.

"_Two hours_," I asked incredulously. "Are you kidding? We're never going to make it there in time!"

"Yes we will," Rosalie countered. "Your makeup will be done soon, and it'll take practically no time at all to get your dress on."

It was true. My dress wasn't very complicated. It was long and strapless, with some beading here and there—very pretty, and perfect for our wedding. We _were_ getting married in the summer, after all.

Edward and I had decided to have the wedding on June 21st, the day after his birthday. Since his new birth certificate stated that he wasn't turning 18 until this year, legally, we had to wait. But we didn't really mind. Even if he did turn 18 earlier, it probably would have been more prudent to wait until school let out anyway. Being the only married seniors might have made us the focus of unwanted attention or criticism.

"So, Bella, are you ready to be Mrs. Edward Cullen," Rosalie asked.

I smiled. "Oh yeah. More than ready. My stomach, however, could use some convincing." At this point, the butterflies were getting out of control.

Playing along, Alice bent down so her face was level with my stomach. "Hey, Bella's belly," she shouted, giggling, "Don't be scared. Everything will be just fine."

"Shut up, creeper," I said, laughing along with her. "So Rosalie, you said that you saw Edward. How did he look?"

She reached over and squeezed my hand. "He looked so happy, Bella. And that tux…damn! If I wasn't taken..."

"Don't even think about it," I interrupted, playfully smacking her arm. But I knew Rosalie would never try anything, of course. She was marrying Emmett in just over two weeks—July 4th. Alice and I were going to be her bridesmaids, and we were so excited. There were going to be fireworks after the ceremony. And Emmett had insisted on the reception being barbecue style, very appropriate for an Independence Day wedding. Apparently, he was the king of steak and ribs as well as of all things dirty.

Before I knew it, my makeup was done and my friends were zipping me into my dress. "Guys, I can just do it myself," I stated. "Besides Alice, you've still got to put on _your _dress. I can't have my maid of honor running in late because she's not prepared."

She rolled her eyes. "Well, I can't have the bride getting her finger caught in the zipper. Don't you remember the last time you tried to zip up this dress?"

How could I forget? My index finger had hurt for a week afterwards.

My grimace made Alice chuckle. "That's what I thought. Now, turn around."

My dress was on in a flash, and as Rosalie helped me with my veil, Alice got changed, too.

Not five minutes later, she skipped back over to us, wearing both her dress _and_ makeup. "Geez, how did you put all that on so fast," I asked.

"Just a special gift that I have, I guess," Alice teased. "But it's not about me. The day belongs to you, m'dear."

She began walking in a circle around me, appraising what she saw. "Alright, your dress is new, so that's all set. Your lingerie is both old and blue…"

Yup, that's right. I was wearing my trusty lingerie from Edward's and my first date. Alice had insisted that I buy something else for the occasion, but I felt more comfortable in this. Plus, it fit the blue category. Of course, I had been a little worried that it would show through my dress, but it didn't, thank god.

"So now, the only thing missing is…something borrowed!" Alice skipped over to her dresser drawer and rifled around for a moment before tossing something to me.

_A garter. Super._

"That's mine, so don't lose it, ok?"

I blushed and slid it into place. "Sure, Alice. Thanks."

After that final touch, the three of us looked at my reflection in the mirror. "Bella, I don't even know what to say," Rosalie whispered. "You look…"

"Gorgeous."

I turned to the side to find the source of the comment, and smiled widely at the sight of Edward's mom standing next to us. Over the last nine months, she'd become a constant presence in our lives, always there when we wanted to talk to her. And I was so glad that she decided to stop by today.

"Elizabeth," I cried, "It's great to see you!"

She leaned down and gave me a kiss on my forehead. "It's wonderful to see you, too, sweetheart. And Alice and Rosalie, how are you?"

"Oh, we're good," Alice replied excitedly. She and our other friends had gotten just as close to Elizabeth as I had, and that made me happy. "So, big day, huh?"

"I'll say." She paused briefly, then spoke again. "Hey listen, do you mind if I talk with Bella alone for a few moments?"

Rosalie shook her head. "No, not at all." She took Alice's arm and they walked towards the door. "We'll be downstairs, Bella. It was great to see you, Elizabeth."

"You, too, girls," she said, waving at them. As soon as they were out of the room, Elizabeth turned back to me. "Such sweethearts."

"I know. They're pretty cool." I let out a long breath, suddenly nervous. "So, what'd you want to talk about?"

She chuckled. "Don't worry, Bella. It's nothing bad."

"Oh, I'm not worried about what you have to say. The butterflies in my stomach are working overtime."

"Aw, honey." She put an arm around my shoulders, trying to comfort me. "It's perfectly natural to be nervous on your wedding day. I know I was."

"Yeah, I guess so."

Elizabeth took my hand and we sat on the bed. "Well, I didn't come to chat about butterflies," she said with a laugh. "I just realized that I never really thanked you."

"For what?"

"For bringing my son to life. Never before have I seen him so happy, so full of energy. You've just…brought out the best in him, and I'll be forever grateful for that." Her voice had begun to crack, so she took a minute to compose herself. "I'm just so happy for the two of you."

I had been trying not to cry—for fear of streaking my mascara—but I couldn't help a tear from escaping the corner of my eye. I wiped it away quickly and was pleased to see that there weren't any black smudges on my finger.

Looks like Alice had thought of everything. Thank god for waterproof mascara!

"Thank you," I whispered. "But you know, Edward brought _me_ to life, too. Never have I met anyone so loving and decent and brilliant. I can't believe how fortunate I am to have found him." This time, it was _my_ turn to pause and compose myself. When I looked back up at Elizabeth, she was fixing me with that same intense gaze that Edward used so frequently. "He's the greatest thing that's ever happened to me."

She nodded, and we sat in silence for a few minutes before Alice called upstairs. "Bella, Charlie's here with the limo. We've got to get a move on!"

Elizabeth chuckled and we stood up. "Well, I guess that's my cue to go. You and Edward be good to each other," she whispered, kissing the top of my head.

"We will." I stepped back and waved, smiling at her. She returned the smile, and not a moment later, she disappeared.

With one last deep breath, I exited my room and walked downstairs.

It was time for my new life to begin.

****

"You ready, Bells?"

I nodded hurriedly, trying to push all nervousness out of my head. Charlie and I were standing just outside the main doors of the church. And Alice and Rosalie had already completed their trips down the aisle to join the guys up at the front. Now, the only thing missing from the mix was me.

"Just don't let go of me," I said. I could not afford to be clumsy today.

He chuckled and tightened his grip on my arm. But right then, the music transitioned and the doors opened.

I surveyed the scene in front of me as we walked, blushing when I noticed everyone standing and smiling at us. However, after I scanned the crowd, I turned my attention to the front.

It was suddenly very hard to keep from running down the aisle and into Edward's arms. Rosalie was right. He looked so amazingly handsome in his tux. I just couldn't take my eyes off of him.

After what seemed like forever, we reached the altar. Charlie gave me a quick kiss on my cheek before placing my hand in Edward's. My heart immediately sped up at his touch.

"You look incredible," Edward whispered, lightly kissing my hand.

I sighed happily. "You do, too."

His mouth pulled up into that trademark crooked smile. "Thank you, love."

"Are we ready to begin?"

We both turned and looked up at the priest. "Yes, sorry," I muttered, blushing. Edward, however, looked like he was holding back a laugh. _Stupid him and his distracting ways!_ But hey, I couldn't help it. Getting wrapped up in our own little bubble took no effort at all.

Edward and I had just decided to stick to the traditional vows. Well actually, he kind of just left that decision up to me. And I figured that we had enough to think about anyway, so why add to that list by having to write our own vows? Plus, Edward was so eloquent. He'd probably make my vows look like a joke.

"Do you, Isabella Swan, take Edward Cullen to be your husband…"

_My husband_.

While the vows were being read, I gazed at Edward the whole time, my throat tightening as I tried to stay in control of my emotions. But I was failing miserably; I could feel my eyes welling up with tears.

Before I knew it, it was time to speak those two very important words. I drew in a shaky breath and squeezed Edward's hand. "I do."

He grinned widely at me and brought his other hand up to softly brush away the tears that had begun to run down my cheeks. I leaned into his touch, kissing the palm of his hand quickly so as not to attract too much attention.

But now, it was Edward's turn to take the vows. Just as I had done, he kept eye contact with me the whole time that they were recited, and the emotion on his face was plain to see.

This was the moment he'd been waiting 90 years for.

His eyes were sparkling with tears, but nonetheless, his voice never wavered when he spoke. "I do."

The love and devotion in his tone made me cry even more. I felt a little ridiculous, but c'mon. It was almost like a rule that you had to cry at weddings.

Thankfully, our ring exchange went very smoothly. No one dropped them or heaven forbid, forgot them. Though if anything did happen, considering my klutzy ways, it would definitely have been my fault. All I could figure was that luck was on my side today.

But before we knew it, we had reached the end of the ceremony, and the priest was going through the traditional closing remarks. "By the power vested in me by the state of Illinois, I now pronounce you husband and wife," he said, smiling. "You may kiss the bride."

Edward didn't have to be told twice.

Immediately, he wrapped his arms around my waist and kissed me soundly, joy radiating from every inch of him. At the same time, everyone began cheering and clapping.

"Mrs. Cullen," Edward mused, his lips now at my ear, "I like the sound of that."

I chuckled. "Me, too. But the name's going to take some getting used to."

"Well, we have all the time in the world for that," he said, pulling me into a tight embrace.

_All the time in the world._

And I couldn't be happier about it.

****

"And now, ladies and gentlemen, may I present to you Mr. and Mrs. Edward Cullen!"

Our guests cheered loudly as Edward and I walked into my backyard, and we stood there for a few moments, smiling and waving at everyone.

I had to say, Alice, Rosalie, and the others really did an amazing job decorating the backyard. All of the tables were set up with a beautiful floral arrangement of white roses in the center. The general color scheme of the reception was blue, with each of the tablecloths being a different shade of it—aqua, turquoise, sky blue, and midnight blue. The scene was complete with twinkle lights adorning the surrounding trees.

Suddenly, a persistent clinking noise began to echo around the yard. I noticed that everyone was looking at us expectantly.

_Oh, great…_

I glanced, embarrassed, up at Edward, who appeared very amused by it all. "So, love, what do you say," he asked, a huge grin lighting up his face.

I rolled my eyes and chuckled. "Sure, why not?"

Before I could even register what had happened, Edward had swooped me into a dip, and his mouth was moving feverishly with mine. I could barely hear the applause from the crowd over the buzzing in my ears.

_The things this guy could do…_

Just as I was starting to really reciprocate, however, he had pulled me vertical again, and I groaned. "Edward, you can't just kiss me like that and then stop. Allow me to return the favor," I suggested, running my hand up and down his arm.

He laughed loudly. "Patience, Bella. You'll get your chance later on. For now, let's just enjoy the party."

_Ugh, such a tease._ Though admittedly, having my way with him in front of everyone probably wasn't the best idea. "Fine," I conceded. "But just you wait 'till the honeymoon, mister!"

Edward and I had mutually decided to visit London for our honeymoon. We'd both had an interest in going for quite a while, so we figured that now was as good a time as any.

"Mmm, I don't know if I can," he said huskily, nuzzling my neck.

"But you're going to have to," I replied. He frowned, and I smirked at his disappointed expression. "My, it seems as though the tables have turned."

Edward took a deep breath and wrapped an arm around me, leading me through the crowd. "C'mon, let's get seated before my self-control completely disappears," he whispered.

I've gotta say, I wouldn't have minded if he had lost all self-control. But there was a time and place for everything. And right now, we had us a wedding to celebrate.

For our first dance as husband and wife, the song choice had been easy—'Someone Like You,' of course. There was no personal serenade by Van Morrison this time, but it was still wonderful. The bouquet toss, however, was a different story. It took me four tries before I successfully threw it into the crowd. And Alice, despite being the shortest woman there, knocked several people out of the way to catch the flowers.

Edward, on the other hand, had much better luck with the garter. After he slid it off me, he shot it straight into the crowd and into Jasper's hands. _Gee, what a surprise._ But we all became a bit uncomfortable when Jasper slinked it onto Alice's leg. The two of them were getting into it a little too much, and Charlie actually ended up having to step in and shut down the grope fest.

Well, at least Alice didn't have to worry about not getting her garter back.

But soon enough, things mellowed out and our party began drawing to a close. Charlie stood up and cleared his throat loudly, presumably to make one last announcement.

"Can I have everyone's attention?" Immediately, everyone quieted down and turned to face him. "Thanks. So, before we wrap this up, I'd first like to thank you all for coming out and celebrating this very special occasion with us. We appreciate all your love and support." The crowd clapped in response, but fell silent again soon after. "Second of all, Bella and Edward, I'd like to present the two of you with a little something." He reached down to pick up a large manila envelope from the table, then handed it to me wordlessly.

I look up at him, puzzled, but proceeded to open the envelope anyway. Slowly, I pulled out the contents…an assortment of papers.

_What kind of a wedding present is that?_

I rifled through the small stack, trying to make sense of the wording. Suddenly, however, it all clicked into place, and I shook my head in disbelief. "Dad, you didn't."

Edward peered over my shoulder to get a better look, and the audible gasp he let out told me that he understood, too. "An apartment? You bought us an apartment?"

We had just planned on looking for something when we got back from the honeymoon. And since we were attending Northwestern together in the fall, we wanted to snag something close to campus. But judging from the location listed on the papers, Charlie had beaten us to it.

My dad shrugged his shoulders, probably trying to look nonchalant. "Well, yeah. It's only five minutes away from the school, so that's good. Um, it's in a safe part of town, it's got a fair amount of room…"

"Dad," I interrupted, "It sounds perfect."

He nodded briefly, his face blank. But I could tell that this was just a cover-up. His chin quivered as the emotion began breaking through his façade, and I stepped forward to give him a hug. "Thank you so much, dad," I whispered. "I love you."

"I love you, too, Bells. You're welcome." After a moment, Charlie pulled away and shook Edward's hand. "And Edward, welcome to the family."

"Thank you, sir," Edward replied, smiling triumphantly.

"Please, call me Charlie."

I couldn't stop my mouth from popping open in shock. Up until this point, my dad had been a little tough on Edward, and hadn't really encouraged Edward's use of his first name. But from what it sounded like, he had gotten past that.

To my amusement, Edward's eyes bugged in surprise at my dad's request, but he quickly recovered. "Thank you…Charlie."

"No problem," he said, giving Edward a small smile. "So, you two should probably start getting ready. You don't want to miss your flight."

Edward and I smiled at each other, and I squeezed his hand. "No, we definitely don't want that."

After all, we had a lot of sightseeing that we wanted to get started on.

And, well, let's just say that the kind of sightseeing we were interested in had nothing to do with historical landmarks.

****

"Mr. and Mrs. Cullen, welcome to the Chamberlain."

I had to stifle a laugh at the expression on the concierge's face. He looked to be in his 20's, and though he was smiling, he also looked like he was constipated.

"Thanks. We're excited to be here," I replied.

The concierge proceeded to chuckle nervously and fumble around with the papers on the desk, never taking his eyes off of me. "So, um, your room is on the third floor. Feel free to call down if you need anything."

"Sure."

"And I hope you enjoy your stay here in London."

"_We _will," an icy voice broke in. I turned to see Edward staring the concierge down, his eyes narrowed. At the same time, his grip on my waist tightened. "Now, if you'll excuse us, Daniel," he said, glancing at the man's nametag, "My wife and I would like to go upstairs and get settled." Then, without waiting to hear Daniel's response, Edward quickly ushered me out of the lobby and into the elevator, muttering under his breath.

"Love, what was that about," I asked, raising an eyebrow at him.

He let out a long sigh and faced me. "Did you see the way that lowlife was looking at you?"

"Um, no. He actually looked kind of jittery."

"Exactly, because he was attracted to you. The jerk had absolutely no respect for the fact that you're taken, Bella," Edward explained. "Staring at a married woman like that should be a crime."

I chuckled and wrapped my arms around his neck. "What, like how you stare at me," I teased.

He rolled his eyes. "You know what I mean."

"Yes, I know. But this isn't about 'Dan the Concierge.' I could care less about him. You, on the other hand…" I trailed off, kissing his neck again and again. "You're everything that I could ever want."

I felt a shudder ripple through Edward's body, and his hands began to wander. They traveled lower and lower until they reached my ass. Taking the next step, I jumped up into his arms and started to trail my kisses along his jaw, inching closer and closer to his mouth.

Of course, the stupid _ding_ of the elevator interrupted our fun. Edward put me down so he could sling both of our bags over his shoulders, then took my hand and led me to our room. Thankfully, it was fairly close to the elevator, so we didn't have to walk far.

After unlocking the door and practically throwing our bags inside, Edward—in keeping with the tradition—scooped me up bridal style and carried me across the threshold.

"Why thank you, kind sir," I joked as he set me down gently.

He chuckled. "You're welcome, m'lady. So, what do you think of our room?"

It was very nice, indeed, complete with wood furnishings and red accents. "I love it. But you know what I love most about it," I asked slyly.

"What?"

"This," I said, walking over and plopping down on the large bed. "So Mr. Cullen, would you be interested in trying it out?"

Edward laughed loudly and pulled me to a standing position. "Definitely, Mrs. Cullen, but perhaps later. I was actually wondering if right now, you'd like to take a bath with me. The tub is quite large, and I know I'd get very lonely if I was in there all by myself."

Like I'd say no to wet, naked Edward.

I nodded and stretched up to kiss him softly. "Yeah, I'd like that."

"Then it's a plan," he said excitedly. "So, why don't you wait out here for a few minutes? I want to get some things set up first."

"What things?"

"Oh, Bella, that's for me to know and you to find out." He shot me a coy smile, then traipsed into the bathroom.

What the hell? First, Edward tells me "later," then he wants to surprise me with something? Whatever, but this had better be good.

I undressed, put on one of the hotel's robes, and sat on the bed to wait. Thankfully, not a minute later, Edward emerged. He was wearing a robe, too…and that same coy smile from before.

"Come on in, love."

I walked over to take his outstretched hand, and my jaw dropped at the sight in front of me. Lining the shelves in the bathroom were eucalyptus-spearmint aromatherapy candles. And sitting on the edge of the jacuzzi tub was a tray of chocolate-covered strawberries, raspberries, and cherries.

"Edward, what's all this for?"

"For us, of course. I asked for the hotel to put together a little something to commemorate the occasion." He chuckled at my still-stunned expression. "So, are we going to get in or what?"

I looked up to meet his amused gaze and nodded. "Yeah, definitely."

After we slipped off our robes, I noticed him staring unashamed at my body. "Bella, I simply cannot get over how beautiful you are."

I blushed. "Well, I could say the same about you."

Edward grinned widely and wrapped his arm around me as we stepped into the tub. After we sat down, he pulled me to him so my back was against his chest and I was resting between his legs.

Slowly, he began to soap up my body with a washcloth. "So, love, how are you feeling?"

I moaned softly, my eyes closed. "Amazing. This is amazing."

A few minutes later, I leaned forward so he could reach my back, leaving a trail of heated, open-mouthed kisses along the area as he finished. "My god, Bella," he whispered between kisses, "You taste so good."

_Not half as good as you do._

Suddenly, I got an idea. I reached over to the tray of fruit and grabbed a chocolate-covered strawberry. "I do, huh? What about now," I asked, biting into it and leaving it partially hanging out of my mouth.

Edward let out a low growl, taking the invitation and biting into the other end. As he chewed the fruit, he drew it in farther and farther until finally, his lips lightly touched mine. "Mmm, even better," he murmured briefly before recapturing my lips again. But after about a minute of kissing languidly, I needed more. This slow pace simply wasn't enough.

I turned around so I was facing him, straddled his lap, and immediately went to work on his neck. "Edward," I began as I sucked on the sensitive skin, "I want you. Right here, right now."

He halted the massage he'd been giving my breasts, and pulled away slightly to look at me. "Now? You don't want to finish our bath?"

I chuckled. "Do _you_?"

"No, not really," he admitted with a smile.

"Good answer."

Before I could make any sort of move, however, Edward beat me to it, leaning back in to kiss me deeply. I threaded my fingers through his hair, pulling him as close as possible. Any closer and he would have been on top of me, or vice versa…not that I would have minded.

Seconds later, I felt Edward lift up my hips and then carefully lower me down onto his swollen length. "All I can say…thank goodness for birth control," he whispered huskily.

A little while back, we had chosen to switch from condoms to the pill. And it really came in handy for spontaneous moments like this.

I hissed in pleasure as he entered me, and gripped the edge of the tub behind him to give myself some leverage. "Ungh, Edward…now…move," I ordered.

At once, he began thrusting upward, his eyes boring into mine. "Bella, my Bella," he panted, "How the hell did I get so lucky?"

I began rocking my hips in time with his thrusts, panting just as loudly. "I often ask myself the same question. You're just…so fucking amazing."

He bit his lip and touched his forehead to mine. "Oh, love…_you're_ the amazing one."

I laughed, though it sounded more like a wheeze. "So…it's settled, then. We're both amazing."

Edward laughed breathlessly along with me, then decided to give my breasts some much needed attention. He massaged them like before, but this time, he leaned forward and swirled his tongue around each of my nipples, too.

I inhaled sharply and closed my eyes, throwing my head back. "Edward, damn it, you're good…way too good."

He groaned in response and moved one of his hands up to cup my face. "Bella, sweetheart, please look at me." I did as he asked and opened my eyes. "Now, I want you to cum with me. Can you do that?"

I nodded hurriedly and in four more hard thrusts, we reached our climaxes together, never breaking eye contact as my cries and his moans filled the room.

When we both came back down from our highs soon after, I rested my head on his shoulder and smiled lazily. "Edward, there are no words…seriously. I just love you so much." I waited for him to reply, but oddly, he did not. Upon lifting my head back up and looking at him, I noticed that his eyes were filled with tears. "Edward, what's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong. It's the opposite, really. Sometimes, it all just hits me." Edward put a finger under my chin and drew me in for a sweet kiss. "I get to spend forever with the woman I love," he whispered against my lips.

I began tearing up as well, kissing him again. "Forever," I agreed. "Forever and always."

**Alright, first off, I want to thank each and every one of you for being so awesome and choosing to read my story. Honestly, if I didn't have all your support, I wouldn't have been able to continue on with this little tale about a ghost-turned-human :-) So, thanks! Secondly, if you haven't already, please put me on author alert. Unfortunately, I won't be able to start writing again until early May because of my horrifically busy winter semester. The demand of my classes pretty much will make it impossible for me to start up anything new. So yes, please do keep me on alert so you can be notified when I start writing again.**

**So…what did you think of the epilogue? LOL I know it was hideously long, but I wanted to cover everything! As an FYI…the Chamberlain is a real hotel in London. It's right by the Tower of London, apparently. I haven't visited England, but I did do my homework about hotels for this chapter, though :-)**

**Also, don't forget that I'm on Twilighted. I'm still updating on there (I'm at Ch. 17), so you can visit there if you want to read it all again…or feel free to just read it on here again, too! **

**Well, I'm going wrap it up now. It's been a fun 6 months! Once again, thank you all for reading. And for the last time…please review :-) **


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